On the programme of every Commonwealth Games since 1950 and made a core sport in 2006, Weightlifting is next into our ‘Celebrating Our Past, Building Our Future’ Sport Focus spotlight, as we continue to feature each of the 25 sports in which Scotland has competed at the Commonwealth Games.

Look out for all things Weightlifting on Team Scotland’s website and social channels this month as we delve into the archives for tales of past success and also look ahead to the rising stars of the sport who could be representing Team Scotland at Birmingham 2022.

Weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games

Weightlifting is a core sport and has been included in the Commonwealth Games programme every year since 1950. In 1974 the number of lifts was reduced from three (Press, Snatch, Clean & Jerk) to two (Snatch and Clean & Jerk). Between 1990 and 2002 a medal was awarded for each of the Snatch and Clean and Jerk phases and for the combined total. Since 2006 medals have only been awarded based on the combined total of both of these phases, as is the case at the Olympics.

Para-Sport Powerlifting was integrated into the Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002 and has featured ever since. Both the Weightlifting and Powerlifting events may be contested by men and women. Events for women were first introduced in 2002.

Scotland has found success in the sport throughout its history winning 16 medals: 2 gold, 5 silver and 9 bronze.

Find out more about Weightlifting in the Commonwealth Games on our dedicated Weightlifting page.

Scotland’s Commonwealth Games Medallists

Scotland had sent weightlifters to both the 1950 and 1954 Games but the first medal came at Cardiff 1958 courtesy of Philip Caira, who had been in the team four years earlier and finished fifth. There was no question of finishing outside the medals this time round and he took Light Heavyweight gold by a comfortable margin ahead of Sylvanus Blackman of Barbados and Jack Kestell of South Africa. At Perth 1962 he became the first weightlifter in Commonwealth Games history to retain his title out-lifting George Manners of England by 4.5kg  for gold. These Games also saw bronze for James Moir in the Lightweight event.

There were no medals to be had in 1966 despite the return of Caira and Moir to the team and the presence of future medallist James McNiven. McNiven would have to wait another four years to hit the podium but it was worth the wait, his Flyweight bronze Scotland’s first medal of the Edinburgh 1970 Games and their 100th since the Games began. There was bronze too for Grant Anderson in the Super Heavyweight event as Ray Rigby of Australia took gold over Terry Perdue of Wales due to his lighter body weight, both having lifted the same weight. McNiven added a second bronze in 1974 in the new revised format without the Press lift.

Edmonton 1978 saw Charles Revolta win Flyweight silver and John Hynd win Super Heavyweight bronze. Revolta took 4th place at Brisbane 1982 before a return to the podium at Edinburgh 1986, again winning silver. He was joined on the podium by Alan Ogilvie who took bronze in the same event and went on to win two silver and one bronze medal at Auckland 1990. After a gap of two Games with no medals, Tommy Yule took bronze in the 94kg Snatch before going on to win bronze again, this time for combined total with the move away from medals for each phase. Following Yule’s success, Peter Kirkbride picked up the baton for Scotland in the 94kg event with silver at Delhi 2010 , Scotland’s most recent weightlifting medal. Closest in the most recent Games has been Micky Yule who came agonisingly close, finishing 4th at both Glasgow 2014 and Gold Coast 2018 in the Heavyweight Para-Powerlifting event.

Team Scotland Weightlifting Medallists

Youth Games Success

Weightlifting has featured at the Commonwealth Youth Games on four occasions; Edinburgh 2000, Bendigo 2004, Pune 2008 and Samoa 2015. Five lifters represented the home nation in 2000 with Gary McLean the top performer with three bronze medals in the 85kg Snatch, Clean & Jerk and Combined Total. In a quirk of fate a future Youth Games competitor was at these Games as Daniel Richardson, who would go onto compete for Scotland at Samoa 2015, visited the Edinburgh 2000 Athletes Village as a 3 month old baby, his father Alex the Weightlifting team manager.

Bendigo 2004 saw two Scottish medals, and a move away from separate medals for Snatch and Clean & Jerk just as in the main Games. Peter Kirkbride was the top performer with gold in the 85kg event and he would go on to win senior silver six years later at the Delhi 2010 Games. Jenna O’Neil took bronze in the Women’s 58kg event to make this Scotland’s most successful Youth Games in Weightlifting to date. Pune 2008 saw Scotland represented by three athletes with James Burley recording the best result with 6th in the 85Kg category, his clean and jerk of 128kg representing a personal best. At Samoa 2015 Biatrice Gabell won silver on the opening day in the Women’s 53kg with six perfect lifts. She set new Scottish Youth and Junior records in the process and took one of Scotland’s first medals of the Games. Daniel Richardson also broke Scottish records as he took sixth in the Men’s 69kg, while in the Men’s 77kg Jason Epton put in a strong performance to finish fourth, his total just shy of his own British record.

Scotland at the Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games is the only occasion where Scotland gets to compete in a multi-sport event as a nation in its own right and is one of only six countries to have competed in every Commonwealth Games since their inception in Hamilton in 1930. Represented by 15 athletes participating in six sports at those first Games, winning a very creditable 10 medals, Scotland have gone on to win medals at every Games since.

Edinburgh became the first city to hold the Games twice in 1970 and 1986 and also became the first city to host the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Scotland hosted the Games for a third time when Glasgow welcomed athletes and officials to the XXth Commonwealth Games which was held from 23rd July – 3rd August 2014. Team Scotland celebrated their most successful Games in history, winning a total of 53 medals and went on to record their highest overseas medal tally ever at Gold Coast 2018.

Find out more about the Commonwealth Games and Team Scotland’s past success in our Past Games section.

With two previous Commonwealth Games appearances – Melbourne 2006 and Gold Coast 2018 – Basketball is back on the programme for the 2022 Games in Birmingham in a new 3×3 format. Birmingham will see a debut too for Wheelchair Basketball, also in the 3×3 format. This will be the first time that Basketball has been a part of any Games outside Australia.

Scotland’s basketball players have impressed in both their Commonwealth Games outings to date with 6th place in 2006 and a fantastic 4th place at Gold Coast 2018. We spoke to 2018 team captain Kieron Achara about his Games experience in Gold Coast and what the move to the 3 x 3 format at Birmingham 2022 will mean for the sport and for Scotland.

After a gap of 12 years Basketball was back in the Commonwealth Games for Gold Coast 2018 – what did it mean to the sport and for you personally to have that opportunity to compete?

“It was a real spark of inspiration for our sport.  It allowed us to showcase our sport to a national audience.  It gave us a platform to inspire younger players to give their absolute all to hopefully get an opportunity to compete in the future.  Personally, it was a dream come true.  I got injured before 2006 and never knew if I would ever get another chance, so I was so thankful when we were selected to attend in 2018.  My best memory was celebrating by singing the Proclaimers 500 miles after beating England in our first game. I will never forget that!”

Basketball is back in the Games for Birmingham 2022, this time in 3×3 format – how will this change Scotland’s preparations and what will change in selecting and preparing a team, compared to the traditional format?

“3×3 really is a different style of play, with really offensive minded players who can create their own shot best suited to the game. Preparation could actually be a lot easier since there will only be four athletes competing, the challenge will be narrowing the squad down to those players. With FIBA format players can collect points as individuals, which could make it easier to select a squad. I believe the squad has to play in as many 3×3 tournaments on the FIBA circuit as possible to help with preparation. The game is so new to Scotland, however, if players start embracing the change and start entering tournaments as soon as possible I believe they will really make giant steps forward.”

What opportunities will the new format bring for the sport?

“I personally believe 3×3 is perfect for smaller nations as the depth chart is a lot less – it is a lot easier to get four talented players rather than 12.  I also believe it will be a great development tool for 5 v 5 as players will be forced to work more on their skills in order to score as opposed to just relying on tactics.

“The new format will also attract a new basketball audience as the games are fast paced and exciting for everybody. FIBA at this current moment have a stat that around 80% of their fan base on the circuit are new fans to basketball.  Since 3×3 games tend to be played outside in areas of high footfall it captures new audiences.  I think the Commonwealth Games will showcase just how fun and action packed the 3×3 game is.”

Wheelchair Basketball is also in the Games for the first time, again in 3×3 format, what will that mean for the sport in Scotland?

“Very similar to the walking game, this will give wheelchair basketball another platform to promote the sport.  From my experiences in Scotland it was sometimes difficult to get enough wheelchair players to compete, especially recreationally.  With 3×3 having fewer participants needed it creates more opportunity to play the sport.”

Seventy years ago today the IV Commonwealth Games (then known as the British Empire Games) opened at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. After a 12 year gap since the previous edition in 1938, mainly due to World War II, the Games were back with more countries and athletes taking part than ever before.

Twelve nations sent athletes to the Games with all 12 winning at least one medal. The Games in Auckland saw a number of firsts with the introduction of air travel (for some) and chaperones for female competitors. Fencing and Weightlifting made their Games debuts and Water Polo featured in the Aquatics programme for the first and only time. The Scottish team was small but highly successful with more than half the athletes who competed returning with medals. Unusually, the General Team Manager was also a competitor as Col. Usher was selected to fence Epee and Sabre alongside his managerial duties. Clearly multi-talented he also had 18 caps for the Scottish Rugby team.

Auckland 1950 at a Glance

Getting There – A 37 Day Voyage

Seventeen of the Scottish team left Southampton on 16 December 1949, aboard the Shaw and Savill liner, Tamaroa, in which the English team also sailed. It was to be a 37 day voyage over Christmas and New Year with celebrations for the start of 1950 held at Panama. On the Pacific side of the Canal, this also marked the beginning of a new time zone which the Scots played to their advantage, persuading the English to agree to a midnight curfew and, by bringing the New Year in before putting the clock back for the new timezone, enjoyed an extra hour of celebration.

For 21 days following the New Year, until they made landfall at Auckland, the passengers saw nothing but the sea. Heading into the Pacific, the ceremony of ‘Crossing the Line’ broke the monotony and, with the length of the voyage, training had to be done on board. The installation of a small swimming pool, punchbags for the boxers and wrestling practice on deck among the activities pursued. A swimming gala was held with events for both swimmers and those from other sports, with Scotland narrowly beating England in a Mixed Medley Relay between the swimming teams.

There was also a fancy dress ball with costumes constructed from bath towels and other materials found on board. Hammer thrower Duncan Clark and English shot putter Harold Moody won a prize as angels of temperance and sobriety while diver Peter Heatly went as Julius Ceasar. The seafarers docked in Auckland on 21 January 1950, two weeks ahead of the start of the Games.

However, for the first time, the aeroplane made an entrance into Scottish travel plans. Alan Paterson (High Jump) and Andrew Forbes (3 & 6 miles) could not make the ship, for good reasons. The two Victoria Park athletes flew out from Prestwick on 23^rd January – two days after the main party had docked at Auckland. Air travel seems to have agreed with them, as both won silver medals. The fliers were the forerunners of future travel, so that Auckland became the last of the great sea voyages.

After the Games, the Scottish, English, Welsh and Canadian contingents were taken on a tour of New Zealand, lasting three weeks, staying in private homes. The Scots reached Southampton again on April 8 having been away for 113 days.

Village Life

These Games were particularly noteworthy for the first Games Village.  Ardmore, 23 miles out, had been an Air Force camp and later a Teachers’ Training College.  With areas strictly segregated by gender, the women had individual cubicles, the men doubled up. The Village was too far away from the sporting venues, but it achieved its purpose of bringing competitors together and has remained a feature of the Games ever since.

Ten Medals From Eighteen Athletes

It was a successful Games for the Scots. Despite a small team of 18 athletes across seven of the nine sports, they won 10 medals (5 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze). Duncan Clark won the Hammer in a new Games record of 49.94m, Scotland’s first ever gold medal in a field event while Henry Gilliland and Hugh Riley made it two Boxing gold medals from three boxers.

Peter Heatly was Scotland’s top athlete of the Games with a gold and a silver in the Diving events. He took gold in the 10m Platform event and a silver in the 3m Springboard. This was the first of three Commonwealth Games at which Peter won medals, eventually ending his career with a total of five. Helen Orr Gordon (known as Elenor) was Scotland’s top female athlete with gold in the 220yds Breaststroke in a new Commonwealth Games record, followed by a bronze alongside Margaret Girvan and Elizabeth Turner in the 3x110yds Medley Relay. Just 16, she is Scotland’s youngest ever gold medallist and went on to win a further two golds at Vancouver 1954.

Also in the pool there was bronze for Albert Kinnear in the 110yds Backstroke while the air travellers mentioned before, Andrew Forbes and Alan Paterson, won Six Miles and High Jump silver respectively.

Scotland’s Auckland 1950 Medallists

Recording Team Scotland’s best ever team sport result with 4th place at Gold Coast 2018, Basketball is next up in our ‘Celebrating Our Past, Building Our Future’ Sport Focus, which features all 25 sports in which Scotland has competed at the Commonwealth Games.

Look out for everything Basketball related on our website and social media channels in the coming weeks as we delve into the archives for tales of past success, get behind the scenes with the team behind the team and look ahead to Basketball’s return to Commonwealth Games action in 2022.

Our Sport Focus begins on a sad note, as we pay tribute to two special players taken too soon. As the world mourns the loss of a legend of the sport in Kobe Bryant at the age of 41, the Scottish basketball community mourns the loss of Robert Archibald, the first and only Scot to play in the NBA, at just 39.

Born in Paisley, Robert began his basketball journey with Dunfermline Reign before moving to the US to pursue his dreams.  Following an outstanding four-year NCAA career at the University of Illinois he was drafted to the NBA in 2002, playing as power forward and centre for the Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors. Internationally, he represented Scotland throughout his teenage years before joining the GB programme in 2007. He went on to feature at three major international tournaments: EuroBasket 2009, EuroBasket 2011 and London 2012 Olympics – one of only three Scots to play basketball at an Olympic Games.  Archibald followed in the footsteps of his father, Bobby, who captained Scotland and GB in the 1980s.

Basketball at the Commonwealth Games

Basketball is an optional sport in the Commonwealth Games and made its debut at Melbourne 2006. In Melbourne the medal winning nations were identical in both men’s and women’s competitions with hosts Australia taking gold, New Zealand silver and England bronze. The sport made its return for the Gold Coast 2018 Games where Australia again took both gold medals and Scotland had a strong showing, finishing 4th.

Basketball was the only new addition to the Games programme in 2006 and the Scottish men’s team were excited about the prospect of making their Games debut in Melbourne. Playing in Pool A they were up against Australia, Nigeria and India.

Scotland beat India 67-57, staying ahead in the scoring throughout the entire match. This was to be their only pool win and they entered the playoffs for 5-8th place. A victory against South Africa left them to face Barbados to decide 5th and 6th places. But an ankle injury to Guard Laurie Costello just three minutes into the match seemed to seal their fate and Scotland lost 63-73 to take sixth place. 

For 2018 Glasgow Rocks and GB Basketball star, Gareth Murray, was the only returning Scot from the 2006 Games and was joined by fellow Rocks teammate and GB Basketball captain, Kieron Achara who had missed out through injury last time round. Amongst an exciting line up of players making their Games debut, 17-year-old Callan Low became the youngest player ever to represent Team Scotland in Basketball.

Drawn in Pool B alongside England, Cameroon and India, the Scots were based in Townsville, a two hour flight north of Gold Coast. Scotland tipped-off their Commonwealth campaign in style on day one as the sport made its return to the Commonwealth Games for the first time in twelve years. A fabulous 77-65 win over England got the team off to the perfect start to sit at the top of Pool B.

Matches against Cameroon and India swiftly followed and with the Scots growing in confidence they recorded a further two wins to confirm their place as Pool B winners and advance to the Qualifying Finals in Cairns. Once again the team defied the pre-tournament rankings, securing another hard fought victory, this time against Nigeria 66-61 to earn the right to fly south to join the rest of Team Scotland on the Gold Coast, to take part in the semi finals.

Drawn against hosts and tournament favourites Australia, Scotland suffered their first defeat 46-103 and then narrowly lost out 69-79 to New Zealand to see the bronze medal slip from their grasp on the final day of the Games. Finishing fourth was a fabulous achievement and Basketball can be proud of posting Scotland’s best ever result by a team sport at a Commonwealth Games.

Basketball is once again on the sport programme for Birmingham 2022, this time in a 3 x 3 format. Wheelchair Basketball is set to make its Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham and will also be a 3 x 3 event.

Find out more about Basketball in the Commonwealth Games on our dedicated Basketball page.

Scotland at the Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games is the only occasion where Scotland gets to compete in a multi-sport event as a nation in its own right and is one of only six countries to have competed in every Commonwealth Games since their inception in Hamilton in 1930. Represented by 15 athletes participating in six sports at those first Games, winning a very creditable 10 medals, Scotland have gone on to win medals at every Games since.

Edinburgh became the first city to hold the Games twice in 1970 and 1986 and also became the first city to host the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Scotland hosted the Games for a third time when Glasgow welcomed athletes and officials to the XXth Commonwealth Games which was held from 23rd July – 3rd August 2014. Team Scotland celebrated their most successful Games in history, winning a total of 53 medals and went on to record their highest overseas medal tally ever at Gold Coast 2018.

Find out more about the Commonwealth Games and Team Scotland’s past success in our Past Games section.

Wrestling has been a regular contributor to the Team Scotland medal tally since the sport made its Commonwealth Games debut 90 years ago. As our Sport Focus comes to a close, here are 12 things you might not know about the sport and its history at the Games:

1. Wrestling was one of the six sports contested at the first Commonwealth Games (then known as the Empire Games). The others were Aquatics, Athletics, Boxing, Lawn Bowls and Rowing.

2. The two styles that have appeared in the Commonwealth Games are Freestyle and Greco-Roman. In Greco-Roman is limited to techniques from the waist up. In Freestyle there are still restricted holds but use of the legs and holds below the hips are allowed.

3. Freestyle Wrestling has appeared at every Games that has included Wrestling events. Greco-Roman has only been contested once – at the Delhi 2010 Games.

4. Scotland has won a total of 21 medals in Wrestling across all Games; one gold, five silver and fifteen bronze. Albert Patrick is Scotland’s most decorated wrestler with two silver and one bronze medal, won between 1978 and 1986. Edward Melrose, who took the Bantamweight title in 1934 remains Scotland’s only gold medallist in Wrestling to date.

5. After a string of podium finishes between 1958 and 1994, Scotland went 20 years without a Wrestling medal at the Commonwealth Games until Viorel Etko and Alex Gladkov each won bronze at Glasgow 2014.

6. Women’s Wrestling events were first included at Delhi 2010 and Scotland sent a full complement of seven female wrestlers to the Games. Jayne Clason, Sarah Jones and Ashlea McManus were the top performers but all lost out in their bronze medal bouts.

7. Twins Donna and Fiona Robertson made the switch to Wrestling for the Delhi 2010 Games having both won Commonwealth Games medals in Judo. Donna won bronze in the 48kg event at Auckland 1990 while Fiona won bronze in the same category at Manchester 2002.

8. The Stockholm 1912 Olympic Games saw the longest Wrestling match in history, lasting 11 hours 40 minutes. Martin Klein of Russia eventually beat Alfred Asikainen of Finland but was so exhausted he was declared unfit to compete in the final. These Games also saw the longest ever Olympic final at 9 hours which was eventually declared a tie and both athletes received silver medals with no gold awarded.

9. Amateur wrestling was limited to three three-minute rounds effective in all international competition from 1967. In the current rules for Junior and Senior wrestlers, the duration of a bout is two periods of three minutes with a 30-second break between them.

10. Freestyle Wrestling was developed in Great-Britain and in the United States under the name of catch-as-catch-can and became the favourite attraction in fairs and popular celebrations during the 19th century. The goal of this discipline was to bring the adversary’s shoulder to the ground and almost all holds were allowed.

11. Among a wrestler’s equipment is a cloth handkerchief, also known as a blood rag, used to wipe away blood or sweat during a bout. It is carried inside the wrestler’s singlet.

12. Wrestling at the Birmingham 2022 Games will take place at Coventry Stadium & Indoor Arena, also the venue for Rugby 7s and Judo.

Thirty years ago today the XIV Commonwealth Games opened in Auckland with an Opening Ceremony showcasing a magnificent and moving portrayal of the formation of New Zealand society and culture. Awarded the Games during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, this was New Zealand’s third time as Commonwealth Games hosts as Auckland became only the second city after Edinburgh to have hosted the Games twice.

As hosts of the previous Games in 1986, Scotland led the way in the parade of nations with flag bearer Richard Corsie at the helm. Corsie, a bronze medallist in the Lawn Bowls Men’s Singles in Edinburgh four years previously, would go on to repeat that feat in Auckland.

It was a Games of firsts with a record 55 nations participating and British Virgin Islands, Brunai, Nauru and Seychelles making their Games debuts. Triathlon and Netball were demonstration sports in Auckland paving the way for both to make their debut as medal sports in later Games – Netball in 1998 and Triathlon in 2002. Judo made its first appearance as a medal sport and became Scotland’s most successful sport of the Games with eight medals including gold for Loretta Cusack in the 56kg event.

Auckland 1990 at a Glance

It was a successful ten days for the Scots with 22 medals (5 gold, 7 silver and 10 bronze) across six of the ten sports, with Rhythmic Gymnastics on the programme for the first time, Scotland fielding a team of three.

Among Scotland’s gold medal winners was Liz McColgan, married since her triumph as Liz Lynch in Edinburgh but still in the same winning form, as she took 10,000m gold for the second successive Games. Boxer Charles Kane lifted the Light Welterweight title, in Shooting Ian Marsden and James Dunlop took victory in the Skeet Men’s Pairs and Willie Wood struck gold in the Lawn Bowls Men’s Fours alongside George Adrain, Ian Bruce and Dennis Love to claim his fourth Commonwealth Games medal across four Games.

Scotland’s Auckland 1990 Medallists

The Auckland Games were the first to exceed 2,000 participants and were a huge success with a global TV audience of 300 million. Over the course of ten days of intense competition one world record, 20 Commonwealth records and 72 Commonwealth Games records were set.

Queen’s Baton Relay

The Queen’s Baton Relay had left Buckingham Palace on 24 October 1989 and arrived in Auckland for the Opening Ceremony on 24 January 1990. Uniquely the Baton was split in New Zealand with one half being relayed through the North Island and the other half through the South. On arrival in Auckland it was merged back into one where New Zealand’s three time Olympic and twice Commonwealth Games champion Peter Snell was the final Baton Bearer into the stadium, handing it to Scotland’s own Peter Heatly, then Chair of the Commonwealth Games Federation.

With two and a half years until the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) have published the General Selection Policy and Standards document which will be used to select the athletes who will represent Team Scotland at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Clear, consistent selection policies and the Team Scotland ethos, bringing together all sports as one team, have been a major factor in the increasing success of Team Scotland over past Games cycles, culminating in the team’s record breaking performance at Glasgow 2014 and best ever overseas Games at Gold Coast 2018. Continuing the same approach, the selection policy for Birmingham has been produced following extensive consultation with the performance directors of the 19 sports on the Games programme with the aim of selecting a team that performs with distinction in 2022.

The selection standard set out in the General Selection Policy is based on a performance level of the ability to show a top six performance at the Games with the key aims of achieving a higher percentage of athletes meeting the selection standards when in competition at the Games than in 2018 and for each sport to meet its stated performance aims. In addition, CGS has set the aim of all team members having a positive experience within Team Scotland at the Games.

To ensure representation across the full programme of sports, all individual sports will be represented at the 2022 Commonwealth Games by up to four athletes and all team sports will be represented by a minimum of one team, subject to invitation by the Commonwealth Games Federation.

CGS will now work with the sports on the Birmingham sport programme to develop the Sport Specific Selection Policy and Standards throughout 2020 so that they are available well in advance of the selection period which will open on 1st March 2021. These will include a detailed breakdown of the specific times, distances and competition results required, the dates between which these standards must be achieved and any other factors which will be taken into consideration for each sport.

Endorsing the General Selection Policy, CGS Chief Executive Jon Doig said; “Following extensive consultation with sports, we have produced a policy that will select a team which will perform with distinction and ensure consistency between sports. Next, this will be supplemented by sport specific standards, ensuring all athletes in Scotland with the aspiration and potential to compete in Birmingham know exactly what they must do to make the team ahead of the selection period opening.

“This is an important milestone in our preparations for Birmingham 2022 and the first step towards our aim for all team members to have a positive Games experience.”

A copy of the General Selection Policy is available on the Selection page in the Birmingham 2022 section of this website. Individual sport policies will be added as they are published.

Rising star Ross Connelly is determined to follow in his dad’s footsteps and make the step up onto the Wrestling podium at Birmingham 2022, but one thing is clear – he’s doing this his own way.

“There’s never been any pressure to live up to anything I’ve done,” says his dad David, Light Flyweight bronze medallist for Scotland at the Edinburgh 1986 Commonwealth Games. “Since he was a young boy he’s always been told to just do his own thing and achieve what he can achieve.”

So far that includes winning bronze at the 2017 Commonwealth Championships at the age of just 18 and one Commonwealth Games already under his belt at Gold Coast 2018. The drive towards Birmingham 2022 is already underway and in a step up from previous years, 2019 saw him lift a trio of titles; Scottish, English and British for the first time.

“It was unbelievable to be selected for Gold Coast, especially with it being my first Games,” says Ross. “That rush when you get selected and for it to be in a place like Australia as well, somewhere you wouldn’t get the chance to go very often, it was a special experience. I think it was special for my family as well, for my Dad with him having done Commonwealth Games himself.

“When I was growing up he was my biggest inspiration in wrestling because I just wanted to be like him. He never says anything about his medal, it’s more in my head that I want to compete with that and try to go one better.

“When I was about four or five years old I started tagging along with him to training. I would say I was going to wrestling but really I would just kind of follow him about the mat and jump around and stuff, it wasn’t really proper wrestling, but once I started doing that I just got the bug for it.”

With dad to look up to, Wrestling was perhaps always on the cards for Ross, but for David it was more an accident of geography and his heroes, while not family, were definitely home grown. Brought up in Cumbernauld he “fell” into the sport and it all went from there.

“It was a well-known club and a lot of the kids that I grew up with had either tried it or were still attending the club, so I just kind of fell into it that way. I was more into football at the time but I went along with them one night and that was it. One by one they left and moved on to other things but I enjoyed it so I stayed. I enjoyed that difference of it being an individual thing, just me against an opponent and it was up to me whether I won or lost.

“Bobby McLucas and Michael Cavanagh were there at the time and they had gone to earlier Commonwealth Games. I’d have been in my early to mid-teens and you were looking up to these guys. They were a few years older than me and were from the same club, so that was my inspiration.”

It wasn’t long before he was emulating his predecessors and making his own Commonwealth Games debut. He would compete at two Games, taking bronze at his first and 4th place at his second, and become one of only 18 Scots to have won a Commonwealth Games Wrestling medal to date.

“When I look back to Edinburgh 1986, it was a bit surreal, I was just 18 and had never been to a multi-sport event like that. It wasn’t overwhelming, but you had to pinch yourself that you were actually there. Competing and pulling on the tracksuit and singlet for Scotland was just a dream come true. I wish I could have done it more but unfortunately I was competing at that time where wrestling was dropping in and out of the Games, so I just got a couple in 1986 and 1994.

“In Edinburgh, being at home was obviously a bonus because friends and family could come and see you compete and it was fantastic, the whole atmosphere and everything. To stand on the podium was amazing, again surreal and I was maybe a bit too young to appreciate it as much as I should have at the time. It’s one of those things you wish you could just do over and over again.”

Incredibly that medal is something that his son has never seen. While experience and advice has been passed father to son, there’s certainly not been any sitting around reminiscing about past achievements in the Connelly household.

Searching his memory Ross says: “I remember one day we were clearing out the loft and there was some Commonwealth Games kit, I think it was from Victoria ‘94. I remember seeing his wrestling singlets, but I don’t think I ever remember seeing the medal or holding the medal or anything. I’m sure he’ll know where it is somewhere, he’s just such a modest man. It’s more been in training, he’s given me advice about working hard and, with tough matches, to fight right to the end of every match.”

As Birmingham 2022 approaches and being closer to home Games, Ross may be looking for dad to share just a bit more about his own competitive experience.

“Competing in Gold Coast has given me a real buzz for Birmingham. It’s a different buzz because it’s not your first Games but in a way it’s probably even stronger. Before Gold Coast the buzz was to get to your first Games, take in that experience and learn, especially because I was only 18 at the time. For Birmingham I want to get on the podium and really prove myself at the next Commonwealth Games. It’s a different buzz, but it’s just as strong.

“Birmingham will be special because it will be easier for family and friends to be able to come and support us. Everyone around the UK, not just in Birmingham, will be buzzing about the Games, just like Glasgow was, with everyone talking about the Games, going out on the street and showing their support. I think it’ll be great.

“I’ll have to get my Dad’s experience of his home Games out of him. He’s a quiet man and doesn’t mention it much but I’ll have to pressure him into it because, I know him, he’ll just keep saying ‘yeah, it was good’. I’ve got the bug for it now. Once you’ve done one you want to do another and hopefully this time I can get a better result and maybe get on the podium in Birmingham.”

As for dad he’s incredibly proud to have his son following in his footsteps and is looking forward to having the opportunity to be there to watch him compete.

“Gold Coast was just a bit far for us to get to because Ross’s selection wasn’t until quite late. The flights were really expensive by then and getting time off work was difficult. We’d have loved to go and see him but it just wasn’t practical at the time. I’m sure if he makes Birmingham we’ll be taking a trip down as a family to see him compete there and cheer him on.

“I think like every parent I’d like to see him get further than I did. That would be the ideal scenario. I’m incredibly proud and maybe I don’t tell him that enough.

“I don’t get too involved in his day to day training because he’s got programmes worked out by his national coach now, but I’ll be saying the same thing I said to him before Gold Coast – just go out there and lap up the experience. I think Ross has come back from there with a different mentality, just the same as I did coming back from my first Games in Edinburgh. You’ve done a Games and you know what to expect moving forwards so you just go and do your best. Hopefully all your hard work will pay off and things fall into place at the Games and you can maybe snatch a medal.”

Wrestling has a proud history at the Commonwealth Games, regularly contributing to Team Scotland’s medal tally since Scottish wrestlers made their debut in 1934. One of the original six sports in the Games and on the programme at all but three Games since, here are just some of the highlights of Scotland’s participation across 90 years of Commonwealth Games Wrestling.

London 1934 – Scotland’s Golden Debut

After fielding no wrestlers at the inaugural Games of 1930, Scotland made their Wrestling debut in fine style in 1934 winning four medals from seven athletes. Edward Melrose won Bantamweight gold, which remains Scotland’s only Wrestling gold to date, sharing the podium with Canadian Ted McKinley and six time British champion and 1932 Olympian Joseph Reid of England.

Heavyweight Archibald Dudgeon, nicknamed ‘the Loch Ness Monster’, took bronze as Australia’s Jack Knight took gold. Robert Harcus at Middleweight and Murdoch White in the Featherweight event also took bronze for what is still Scotland’s highest medal tally in the sport at a single Games. White’s bronze remained Scotland’s only medal in this weight category until Viorel Etko took bronze at Glasgow 2014.

Edinburgh 1986 – Third Medal in Three Games for Patrick

Flag bearer Albert Patrick secured his place as Scotland’s most decorated Commonwealth Games wrestler with silver in the Super Heavyweight event, adding to his silver in 1978 and bronze in 1982. While disappointed that he couldn’t make it gold to complete the set in front of his family on home soil, the Canadian Wayne Brightwell, who had finished 8th at Olympic Games two years previously, proved too strong. The drama didn’t finish with the competition however, as Patrick also carried the flag at the Closing Ceremony where the Saltire detached from the pole midway through the ceremony and had to be reattached.

David Connelly at Light Flyweight and Graeme English at Light Heavyweight added two bronze to make it wrestling’s best medal haul for over half a century. English would go on to compete at the 1988 Olympic Games and, after a hiatus for Wrestling in 1990, returned to the Commonwealth Games in 1994 to claim a second bronze. David Connelly’s son Ross represented Team Scotland at the Gold Coast 2018 Games having won bronze at the Commonwealth Championships in 2017 aged just 18.

Glasgow 2014 – 20 Year Wait Ends on Home Soil

Scotland had gone 20 years without a wrestling medal but it wasn’t long before the sport contributed to Team Scotland’s record medal haul at Glasgow 2014. Viorel Etko ended Scotland’s wait to the delight of the home crowd, becoming the first Scot since 1994 to win a Wrestling medal at a Commonwealth Games, taking bronze in the 61kg competition. It was then the turn of Alex Gladkov (65kg), coached by his father, Volodymyr, to collect Team Scotland’s second Wrestling bronze in epic fashion, with the 28-year-old overcoming controversial calls, and a mid-match knee injury, to defeat his Sri Lankan opponent Chamara Perera.

In the women’s competition Sarah Jones (69kg), Shannon Hawke (53kg) and Fiona Robertson (48kg) were the top performers all finishing in fifth place. With two bronze medals Wrestling matched their 1994 performance, the last time they were on the podium.

These of course are just some of the highlights across 90 years of the Commonwealth Games. Scottish wrestlers took at least one medal at every Games to include the sport between 1958 and 1994 and will be looking to hit the podium again in two years time at Birmingham 2022.

Click to see Team Scotland’s full Wrestling medal record at the Commonwealth Games.

As we begin a new decade our ongoing theme of ‘Celebrating Our Past, Building Our Future’ takes on a new dimension with celebrations planned to mark a year of milestone dates ahead.

2020 marks the 90th anniversary of the first Commonwealth Games (then Empire Games) held in Hamilton, Canada in 1930. As one of only six nations to have competed in every Games since, we are looking forward to celebrating Scotland’s success over those 90 years, as well as the countless experiences shared and friendships made as part of Team Scotland.

This summer also sees a special anniversary for Scotland as the Edinburgh 1970 Games celebrates 50 years, Scotland’s first as hosts, the first metric Games and the first to be known as the ‘Friendly Games’, a tag that has been carried by the Commonwealth Games ever since. Scotland is one of only three countries to have hosted the Games three times, (Australia and Canada the other two) culminating in the ‘best Games ever’ at Glasgow 2014.

The early part of the year sees Auckland’s two Games in 1950 and 1990 celebrate their 70th and 30th anniversaries respectively, while October marks ten years since Delhi 2010.

Since 1930, the Games have been held every four years (except during World War II) and the event has seen many changes, expanding from 400 athletes from 11 countries competing in 1930 to almost 1,400 athletes from 42 nations at Edinburgh 1970 to over 4,000 athletes from 71 nations and territories competing at the most recent Games in Gold Coast. Represented by 15 athletes participating in six sports at those first Games and winning a very creditable 10 medals, Scotland have gone on to win medals at every Games since for a total of 453 including 119 gold.

The Games programme has expanded significantly from six sports at those first Games to 19 at the next Games in Birmingham in 2022. From women only having the opportunity to compete in five swimming and two diving events at Hamilton 1930, compared to 52 events across six sports for men, there are now an equal number of medal events for men and women. Since 2002 the programme has included para-sport athletes, the only international multi-sport Games where para-sport events are fully integrated.

2020 also marks 20 years since the inaugural Commonwealth Youth Games held in Edinburgh in August 2000. A concept created by Scotland to give athletes under 18 years of age prior experience before an often daunting international multi-sport Games debut at senior level, the event quickly proved to be a great success.

Growing from 14 countries competing in Edinburgh, the Youth Games now attracts entries from all 70 nations and territories of the Commonwealth and has been the ideal introduction to multi-sport Games for a host of international stars. Hannah Miley, Jen McIntosh, Josh Taylor and many more have gone on from representing Team Scotland at the Youth Games to compete at senior level at Commonwealth and Olympic Games and speak positively of the impact their Youth Games experience had on their senior career.

Over the year we look forward to reconnecting with past team members with a series of reunion events planned, working closely with the Commonwealth Games Scotland Archives held at the University of Stirling and Sporting Memories Scotland to bring the current collection to life and record past team members’ memories of the Commonwealth Games to connect past and future generations.

Of course, for the athletes of the present day, the focus will very much be on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer with Scottish athletes working hard to ensure that they are not only selected, but ready to compete with distinction for Team GB. With a huge range of other World, European and international events over the coming year we look forward to continuing to celebrate the success of current Scottish athletes, whose way was paved by our stars of the past.

Jon Doig, Chief Executive at Commonwealth Games Scotland