Athletics: Scotland’s men delivered an unforgettable performance at the London Marathon, as no fewer than three athletes dipped under the qualifying standard for Rio. Callum Hawkins excelled himself with a blistering personal best of 2.10.52 to take 8th place, ahead of world record holder Dennis Kimetto, in a race where the winning time was close to world record pace. Callum’s time was well inside the 2.14 required for Rio 2016 selection as was that of Eritrean-born Scot, Tsegai Tewelde with 2.12.23. As the first two British athletes across the line, Callum and Tsegai claim automatic selection for Rio. There is now a tantalising wait for Callum’s elder brother, Derek, who could take the third, discretionary, place after a huge personal best of 2.12.57 also took him inside the qualifying time. The marathon athletes for Rio are due to be announced tomorrow, Tuesday 26 April.

Meanwhile, Nick Percy made it two Scottish records in as many weeks, as he launched his discus out to 60.52m to take silver at the Kansas Relays and add three centimetres to his previous mark.

Boxing: Gold medals for Lee McGregor and John Docherty led the way in a strong Scottish showing at the Belgrade Winners Tournament. Lee McGregor recaptured the form that saw him named boxer of the Scottish Championships, with a commanding display against Riccardo D’Andrea of Italy to win the 56kg final. Commonwealth Youth Games Champion, John Docherty, continued his impressive start to his senior career with Middleweight gold. Glasgow 2014 stars Reece McFadden and Aqeel Ahmed both took silver, while Sean Lazzerini looked in great form until his tournament was brought to an end through a hand injury. Withdrawing from his semi-final bout he had to settle for bronze.

Table Tennis: Gavin Rumgay claimed an incredible 11th Scottish title at Saturday’s National Championships, leaving him just one away from Euan Walker’s record tally of twelve. There was high drama in the final as Gavin, with a two game lead, and within two points of victory over Glasgow 2014 team mate Craig Howieson, needed an injury time out. Craig subsequently took that game, and the next two, to level the match and looked on course to win. The lead changed hands throughout the deciding 7th end but Gavin rallied to take it 12-10 and secure the title.

In the ladies event, Ayrshire 16 year-old Rebecca Plaistow claimed her first senior national title with a 4-1 victory over Rachel Crawford.

Squash: Samoa 2015 Youth Games athlete Carrie Hallam joined forces with Georgia Adderley, Claire Gadsby and Elspeth Young as Scotland’s women put on a stellar display at the European Team Championships in Bucharest. Remaining undefeated throughout the group stages, the team overcame Finland in the semi-final and Italy in the final to claim the championship and promotion to Division II. With every member of the team under 20 years old, the result bodes well for the future.

Judo: Sally Conway was top Scottish performer at the European Championships in Kazan as she came through a world class field in the 70kg category, just missing out on a medal finishing in 5th place. She was joined in the GB team by Andy Burns and Sarah Adlington, both coming up against tough first round opponents and exiting the competition.

Tollcross provided some of Team Scotland’s most memorable moments of Glasgow 2014. Almost two years on, Scottish swimmers were back in familiar water as the venue played host to the British Championships, putting themselves right in the mix for medals, titles and Olympic places.

Just as she lit up the first night of the Glasgow Games two years ago, so Hannah Miley led the way once again, with an emphatic win in the 400m Individual Medley. The relief was evident as she touched well clear of the chasing pack in 4.33.40 to claim, not just gold and the British title, but an automatic place on Team GB for the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Following her usual packed programme of Freestyle and Butterfly events, Miley was back to the Medley and back on the podium with a silver in the 200m behind Bath University’s Siobhan-Marie O’Connor rounding out her competition.

While Miley was already an established star two years ago, for Duncan Scott Glasgow 2014 was a first foray into elite senior competition, where silver in the 4x200m Freestyle Relay confirmed his potential. Still only 18 years old, he proved how far he has come since then with a stunning performance in the 100m Freestyle to claim his first British title, taking almost half a second off Robbie Renwick’s Scottish record over the course of heat and final. A bronze medal followed in the 200m Individual Medley before he lined up in, arguably, the race of the Championships, the 200m Freestyle.

With the GB quartet claiming gold in last year’s World Championships in Kazan – a team that included Renwick and Glasgow 2014 gold medallist Dan Wallace – all eight finalists, four Scots among them, were vying for a place in the relay squad for Rio. Millfield’s James Guy pulled clear for gold ahead of a blanket finish from the Team Scotland swimmers, led by a two second personal best from Stephen Milne, bringing him home for a surprise silver ahead of Renwick in bronze and Scott in 4th, just 16 hundredths of a second separating the three. Wallace, having earlier claimed bronze in the 400m IM, was just over a second back from Scott in 7th.

The result capped an outstanding Championships for Milne – that silver bringing his total to three following second places in both the 400m on the opening day and the 1500m. Outside automatic qualifying but inside the consideration times for Rio, he will hope for individual selection as well as a relay berth.

Ross Murdoch stunning both himself and pre-event favourite Michael Jamieson to claim gold at Glasgow 2014 will live long in the memory and, with Murdoch having taken 100m Breaststroke silver earlier in the week, the 200m final saw the pair go head to head once again in a stacked field including 100m World record holder Adam Peaty.

Billed as race of the evening it lived up to all expectations, neck and neck all the way to the final touch. Bath’s Andrew Willis came out on top but it was Murdoch’s University of Stirling team mate Craig Benson who turned the tables this time with a silver medal ahead of Murdoch’s bronze. Jamieson took 5th with fellow Scot Calum Tait in 8th.

Further Scottish medals came from Camilla Hattersley with a silver in the 800m Freestyle and bronze for both Craig McNally in 200m Backstroke and Rachel Masson in the 50m Freestyle. Kathleen Dawson produced a brilliant heat swim in the 100m Backstroke to lower the Scottish record she set during Glasgow 2014, going on to finish 5th in the final.

Two members of Team Scotland’s silver medal winning 4x200m Freestyle Relay squad at Delhi 2010, Lewis Smith and Jak Scott, announced their retirement during the Championships. Both also represented Team Scotland at Glasgow 2014 with Jak again part of the medal winning relay squad. All at Commonwealth Games Scotland wish both the best of luck for the future.

While Smith and Scott brought their careers to an end, others are just beginning. Scotland’s younger swimmers impressed with a haul of medals in the junior and ‘Target Tokyo’ finals run alongside the senior events. There was a brilliant 50m and 100m Freestyle double gold for Lucy Hope, one of Team Scotland’s youngest competitors at Glasgow 2014, and bronze for fellow Glasgow 2014 team mate Kathleen Dawson in the 200m Backstroke. Youth Team Scotland’s Samoa 2015 squad were also regulars on the podium with flagbearer Craig McLean taking two silver medals in the 100m and 200m Freestyle, Kieran Preston silver in the 100m Breaststroke and Tain Bruce bronze in the 100m Butterfly.

Other highlights in the junior events included gold for City of Glasgow’s Ryan Brown in the 200m Butterfly and bronze for Katie Robertson in 100m Breaststroke.

The senior swimmers now have a wait to see if they will join Team GB in Rio, with the team due to be announced on Thursday.

Athletics: Glasgow 2014 athlete Nick Percy became the first Scottish man in history to break the 60m mark in the discus with a colossal 60.49m to win the Husker Spring Invitational in Nebraska, USA. Competing for the University of Nebraska, where he has been a student for the past 18 months, the 21 year old hit 60m not once, but twice. His record breaking throw came in the third round, to win the competition comfortably from Payton Otterdahl of North Dakota State, before his fifth round effort landed at exactly 60m in an outstanding series of throws.

While delighted with the distance, Percy admitted it came as a surprise after struggling with a calf problem through last week.

“This weekend was a shock,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting to break 60m but I knew that, at some point, I could break the national record. Earlier in the week I hurt my left calf. I could hardly walk on it, but I managed to get healthy enough to throw with some supportive tape.

“For the rest of the year I’d like to possibly challenge the European Championships qualifying standard at 63m in the discus and would like to break 70m in the hammer, but my main aims are the British Championships, the British U23 Championships and the Scottish National Championships.”

The mark adds almost two metres to his previous personal best and betters fellow Team Scotland Glasgow 2014 competitor Angus McInroy’s national record of 58.77m set in 2010.

In a fantastic weekend for Scottish throws, IPC World Champion Jo Butterfield claimed an unofficial world record at the scottishathletics Throws Grand Prix at Livingston in the F51 Club Throw. Her distance of 22.21m added two centimetres to her best, set last September and augers well for the Rio 2016 Paralympics.

Gymnastics: Known for rising to the big occasion with Commonwealth, European, World and Olympic medals as evidence, Daniel Purvis once again produced when it counted at the British Championships, held at Liverpool’s Echo Arena. With Olympic selection looming the pressure was on to perform this weekend and Daniel responded in style with silver in the All-Around and a trio of individual apparatus medals including gold on Parallel Bars.

With World All-Around silver medallist Max Whitlock in the field, the standard of competition was always going to be high and, despite a personal best score for the year of 89.500, Purvis had to settle for silver behind Whitlock’s huge total of 92.700, a score that would have been good enough for gold at both last year’s World Championships and the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Purvis took silver on Floor behind Whitlock, the pair sharing bronze on Rings, before Purvis put in an outstanding performance on Parallel Bars to take the British title. Glasgow 2014 team mate Frank Baines took a brilliant bronze on high bar with City of Glasgow’s Shannon Archer 5th on Vault and 6th on Beam.

Thoughts will now turn to the Rio 2016 Olympics, with the Team GB gymnastics squads due to be announced in July.

Five Youth Team Scotland athletes have been added to the list of recipients of the PHM Scholarship Support Fund for 2016, following impressive performances at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa last September.

With ten athletes retained on the programme, including fellow Youth Games team member Rowan Morrogh Bernard and Glasgow 2014 medallist Reece McFadden, the 15 athletes named represent the largest group of athletes supported by the fund since its inception in 2012.

This source of additional athlete support funding is administered by the Commonwealth Games Scotland Youth Trust, following support from a private individual impressed by the potential of Scotland’s young athletes. The fund provides awards of up to £1,000 to prospective Commonwealth Games athletes, under the age of 26, towards their preparation for events leading up to the Bahamas 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games, Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games and beyond.

The current crop of talent will put their awards to a range of good uses including, purchasing kit and equipment, assisting with travel costs to training and competition or even for areas of personal development, as they seek to emulate past beneficiaries of the programme such as boxer Charlie Flynn, swimmer Craig Benson and badminton player Kirsty Gilmour.

Among those newly added to the programme is sprinter Cameron Tindle who, having made his mark at the Youth Games with a bronze in the 100m and 4th place in the 200m, has delivered a string of Scottish Records during the 2016 indoor season. During February he lowered not only the 200m junior record but also the senior mark, a remarkable feat at just 17 years of age.

“This funding will be essential to my development and goals,” said Cameron. “I have to travel daily to train, as my nearest track is over an hour away. Unfortunately there were some competitions last year I had to miss because of the cost. This will enable me to concentrate fully on my athletics without worrying about the financial side.”

Tennis player Ewen Lumsden, Scotland’s Athlete of the Games in Samoa with two silver medals and a win in the non-medal men’s doubles event, has continued his progress by being named in the GB team for the Europe Winter Cup. Only 15 in Samoa, he will be eligible to compete at the next Youth Games in the Bahamas in 2017 and plans to put his award towards travelling to higher level competition to continue his development.

Youth Games boxing medallist Kieran McMaster and lawn bowlers Carla Banks and Darren Weir complete the new additions.

Paul Bush OBE, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, said; “CGS is truly indebted to this individual who continues to recognise the potential of young athletes in Scotland, and whose support has already delivered tangible benefits for many athletes. Several past recipients represented Team Scotland at Glasgow 2014, with three winning medals, and a few have realistic aspirations of Olympic places in Rio this summer.

“For our athletes making the transition from Youth Games to success at senior level, this is a crucial time in their development. Support of this kind, on an ongoing basis, allows them to fully focus on realising their sporting aspirations.”

Whilst the award is made for an initial one year period, an in principle commitment is made for a further two years, subject to satisfactory progress being made against agreed goals set. This longer-term commitment gives athletes greater security and allows them to focus fully on their training and competition. Care has also been taken to ensure that this funding provides an enhanced level of support and does not duplicate funding awarded by other agencies.

The full list of athletes receiving awards for 2016 is:

Athletics

*Cameron Tindle (17) – Berwick Upon Tweed – £1,000

Kimberly Reed (21) – Edinburgh – £1,000

Badminton

Adam Hall (20) – Mauchline – £1,000

Julie MacPherson (18) – Edinburgh – £1,000

Bowls

*Carla Banks (17) – Inverurie – £700

*Darren Weir (17) – Prestwick – £700

Carrie McLean (17) – Auchinleck – £700

Boxing

*Kieran McMaster (19) – Kilmarnock – £1,000

Reece McFadden (20) – Motherwell – £1,000

Netball

Lynsey Gallagher (23) – East Kilbride – £700

Squash

Greg Lobban (23) – Edinburgh – £1,000

Rory Stewart (19) – Edinburgh – £800

Tennis

*Ewen Lumsden (16) – Lenzie – £1,000

Weightlifting

Rowan Morrogh Bernard (15) – Pitlochry – £1,000

Wrestling

Ross Connelly (16) – Cumbernauld – £700

*Denotes newly added athletes for 2016

Exactly two years to the day to the Opening Ceremony of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, a loveable, blue koala with a passion for surfing and adventure was revealed as the Games mascot.

Borobi – whose name is the indigenous Yugambeh language word for koala – made a spectacular entrance, descending from an air rescue helicopter onto the beach at Burleigh Heads on Queensland’s Gold Coast, to greet the expectant crowd.

Inspired by a drawing by Brisbane school teacher Merrilyn Krohn, the winner of the Gold Coast 2018 Mascot Design Competition, Borobi will play a key role in welcoming athletes from around the Commonwealth and bringing to life the true spirit of the Games.

Commonwealth Games Minister, Stirling Hinchliffe says Borobi has enormous appeal and is proving an instant hit.

“Borobi is a very special and unique koala whose personality embodies all the values of the Gold Coast and the Australian way of life,” he said.

“He is fun, approachable, determined, passionate and active. There is no doubt he will become an endearing personality of GC2018 and hugely popular with people of all ages.”

Borobi celebrates Australia’s heritage with indigenous markings on his paws representing the venues, spectators and the journeys that athletes from all over the Commonwealth will take to be at the Gold Coast Games.

It is the first time a koala has been chosen as the mascot of a major Australian multisport event with previous mascots including kangaroo Matilda at the Brisbane 1982 Commonwealth Games and Melbourne 2006’s Karak, a south-eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo.

Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) Chairman Nigel Chamier AM, highlighted the important role Borobi will play over the coming two years: “Mascots have become iconic symbols of the Commonwealth Games, providing an emotional connection between athletes, spectators and the community.”

“As the Commonwealth gets to know Borobi and his life story over the coming two years, they will be carried along on his exciting journey. And through him they will discover the wonderful values of the Gold Coast and the Australian way of life.”

With exactly two years until athletes will march into Carrara Stadium for the opening of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Jon Doig, Chief Executive Commonwealth Games Scotland, said:

“Borobi is an excellent mascot for Gold Coast 2018 and I am sure he will prove to be a very successful face of the Games. I hope he has as much fun and has as much of an impact on athletes, spectators and the public as Clyde did for Glasgow.

“We remember the excitement really building from this point prior to Glasgow and know the time will fly by quickly. With two years to go, Team Scotland preparations are well on track to deliver our best ever overseas Games in the Gold Coast, allowing the athletes to focus on what they need to do to make these Games memorable.”

With still over two years to go until the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) in conjunction with scottishathletics, Scottish Swimming and Scottish Disability Sport (SDS), has announced the selection standards required for nomination to Team Scotland for athletics and swimming. These are in addition to the criteria laid down in the CGS General Selection Policy first published in December 2015 and, which has now also seen the selection period extended, following feedback from a number of member sports.

Athletics and swimming are the first sports to agree the sport specific standards required for consideration, as Team Scotland aims for its most successful ever overseas Games, in the Gold Coast. The standards reflect this aim, with athletes from all sports required to finish in the equivalent of the top six of their event, based on performances at recent Commonwealth Games. This is up from the required top eight finish in Glasgow 2014, where Team Scotland had its best Games ever.

In Glasgow athletics won four medals (1 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze) and swimming won 10 (3 gold, 3 silver, 4 bronze).

Jon Doig, Chief Executive Commonwealth Games Scotland said: “Following the publication of our General Selection Policy in December last year, we are delighted with the continued progress, as we develop sports specific selection standards for each of the 18 sports on the Games programme. Athletics and swimming are the first sports to complete the process and it is fantastic that, with over two years until the Games open in Gold Coast, athletes aspiring to a place on the team and their coaches can target their preparation in the knowledge of exactly what is required.

“Following Team Scotland’s success at Glasgow 2014, we are now aiming to have our most successful ever overseas Games in 2018. As a result the standards reflect this aim, with athletes from all sports required to demonstrate their ability to deliver a top six finish. I am confident that our athletes can rise to this challenge, reflecting the progress being made by our member sports, backed by the excellent support of our key partner sportscotland.”

The selection period for athletics events opens on 1 January 2017, closing at midnight on 31 October 2017. In a new trials based approach, athletes must achieve the qualification standard while finishing in the top three at the 2017 British Championships, or for para-athletes, at the 2017 IPC World Championships.

Alternatively, athletes must meet the standards on a minimum of two occasions in other officially sanctioned events during the period, except for multi-events, 10,000m, relays and wheelchair events, where only a single qualifying standard is required.

Given the exceptional nature of the marathon, the selection period will run from 1 September 2016 to 31 October 2017, with one standard required to be met on an approved IAAF/IPC course. In exciting news from the Gold Coast it was announced that wheelchair marathon has been included on the para-sports programme for the very first time.

Commenting on the standards, Nigel Holl, Chief Executive of scottishathletics said: “It is excellent that we are able to share the detail of the selection policy for the 2018 Games this early – and as it is a joint policy with Commonwealth Games Scotland, I must recognise and thank them for their support and expertise through the preparation process.

“If you are an athlete aspiring to represent Scotland in 2018, or the coach of an athlete in that situation, this is a ‘must read in detail’ document!

“There are significant changes from how athletes were selected for Glasgow and, while I am confident those changes reflect the ‘Perform When It Counts’ strategy at scottishathletics, it does mean standards are higher, consistent with all sports representing Scotland at the 2018 Games.

“We’re looking to see athletes achieve qualifying performances on the more significant occasions during the window. A good example of this approach is the British Championships in 2017, which offers athletes the chance to win automatic nomination if they pick up a medal and in so doing post a selection standard.

“That’s really to encourage people to perform at such an event – it will be the trials for the 2017 World Championships in London – and to reward those who perform on the day, under the pressure brought about by competing at that event.

“Ultimately, this selection policy offers Scotland’s elite athletes the chance to represent their country at Gold Coast 2018 through a clear and open process of nomination and selection. The team is likely to be considerably smaller than in Glasgow – but I believe ultimately those who come through the process will have the potential to be even more successful. We should see more medal contenders and finalist in my opinion.”

For swimming, qualifying standards must be achieved at one of a list of sanctioned events scheduled throughout 2017. The list includes the Scottish and British National Championships as well as the 2017 FINA World Championships, World and European Junior Championships and World University Games.

In a new approach to selection, Scottish Swimming will rank all athletes (regardless of event) in priority order, in terms of percentage inside the selection time. The top 16 swimmers will then be guaranteed nomination to Commonwealth Games Scotland for their place on Team Scotland, whilst further swimmers will be added at the discretion of the performance director and national coach. All selections will be subject to proof of form and fitness.

Selection standards for para-sport swimming and diving will follow in the coming months.

Alan Lynn, National Coach for Scottish Swimming said: “Scottish Swimming has an excellent reputation of delivering podium success at the Commonwealth Games and the aim is to continue this success on the Gold Coast.

“Selection onto Team Scotland aquatics will be tough and the qualification standards are therefore challenging, reflecting the highly competitive nature of swimming in the Commonwealth. We expect the swimmers to deliver the performances required for consideration and we look forward to continue supporting and working with athletes and coaches in the run up to the qualification window next year, knowing that the team selected for the Gold Coast in 2018 will be well prepared, eager to race and ready to produce successful outcomes.”

The detailed selection standards for athletics and swimming for the 2018 Commonwealth Games are available to download at http://www.cgcs.org.uk/gold-coast-2018/team-selection-policies/

The sport specific selection standards for all 18 sports will be published by 1 December 2016.

The overall Team Scotland revised selection period detailed in the CGS General Selection Policy is 1 January 2017 to 14 February 2018 and the policy can be downloaded at http://www.cgcs.org.uk/gold-coast-2018/team-selection-policies/

With just under a month until the Olympic Trials, Glasgow 2014 Team Scotland swimmers showed their preparations are right on track, with a raft of medals at the Edinburgh International Swim Meet from 11-13 March.

With line-ups containing many of the key rivals for Olympic places on Team GB, plus a host of international stars, Stephen Milne led the way for the Scots with three medals in Freestyle events. He took gold in the 400m, silver in the 1500m Freestyle and a second gold, this time in the 200m, to round off a successful weekend.

Camilla Hattersley matched his double victory with gold in both the 400m and 800m Freestyle, with Hannah Miley taking silver and bronze in those events as part of her trademark punishing schedule of seven events. Miley added a further silver and bronze in the 400m IM and 200m IM respectively as well as 4th, 5th and 13th places in her remaining events.

Ross Murdoch and Craig Benson produced an incredible finish to the 100m Breaststroke, touching together in 1.00.92 for joint silver behind a world leading time of 59.55 from England’s Adam Peaty. Benson went on to take bronze in the 200m event with Michael Jamieson 6th.

Craig McNally and Corrie Scott were triple medallists, McNally in the 50m, 100m, and 200m Backstroke and Scott in the Breaststroke events of the same distance, while Robbie Renwick took double bronze in the 100m and 200m Freestyle. Double silver for Duncan Scott in the 200m IM and 100m Freestyle plus a bronze from University of Stirling team mate Lewis Smith, in the 400m IM rounded up the Scottish medallists.

While out of the spotlight of the podium, Warrender’s Scott Quin put in a stunning performance, strengthening his bid for a place at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, with an SB14 World Best time of 2.29.53 in the 200m Breaststroke.

All of Youth Team Scotland’s Samoa 2015 swimming medallists were in action with Tain Bruce’s 4th place in the 100m Fly the highlight. Meg Finnon and Kieran Preston swam strongly to make A finals against senior opposition, with Erin Robertson winner of the 100m Breaststroke B Final. Craig McLean took a silver in the Boys’ 17-18 years 50m Backstroke in a time good enough for 7th place in the senior event.

Attention now turns to next month’s British Championships and Olympic Trials, where the Scots will be able to count on strong home support with a return to Tollcross, the setting for many Team Scotland triumphs during Glasgow 2014. With each Trials event winner with the required qualifying standard guaranteed Olympic selection, our swimmers will now tailor their preparations to ensure peak performance at the event from 12-17 April to stake their claim to a place on Team GB in Rio this summer.

Team Scotland triathletes Marc Austin and Natalie Milne joined Team Northern Ireland’s Russell White to put three willing members of the public through their paces at Glasgow Green, and encourage the people of Scotland to sign up to the Sport Relief Flagship Games in Glasgow.

With their sport combining all three events on the Flagship Games programme our triathletes were the perfect experts to have on hand to pass on their experience to the enthusiastic amateurs as they prepare for this weekend’s big event.

Marc enjoyed sharing the tips and tricks he’s picked up on his journey from local events to competing at the top level at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and said: “I would encourage anyone who is looking to try something a bit different to sign up to the Sport Relief Flagship Games. Events like this are what helped me become a triathlete, not to mention that by getting sponsored you will be raising money for a great cause.”

The Flagship Games will take place at Glasgow Green on Sunday 20th March and absolutely anyone can enter – from grandparents to toddlers. Participants have the option of running, walking, swimming or cycling, and can choose from a variety of distances to suit any ability level.

Iona Bruce, who is a fitness instructor and local blogger said: “I’m very excited to be taking part in the Sport Relief Flagship Games, and it was great to meet Marc today who shared some great hints and tips! I love sport and fitness and I’m looking forward to challenging myself at the Games, but there’s options for all ability levels so I will be persuading my family and friends to sign up too.”

There was further exciting news on Commonwealth Day (14 March 2016), when it was announced that the BBC has been awarded the UK broadcast rights for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. It will be the 17th consecutive Commonwealth Games to be covered by the UK’s public broadcaster as the BBC continues to develop its long established relationship at the heart of Commonwealth sport.

The live sporting action will take place nine hours ahead of the UK, with the BBC promising no less than 180 hours of comprehensive through the night coverage, supported by daytime replay and peak time evening highlights across BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Sport website, iPlayer and national and local radio.

UK sports fans, who enjoyed 170 hours of innovative and immersive network coverage for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games with a cumulative broadcast reach of 35m UK viewers, now have the opportunity to continue to support their home nations athletes across 18 sports – including the newly-added discipline of Beach Volleyball – at the next edition of the Commonwealth Games, taking place from 4 to 15 April 2018 on Australia’s Gold Coast.

David Grevemberg CBE, Commonwealth Games Federation Chief Executive, said: “The BBC has a proud and prolific Commonwealth sporting history, and following their inclusive, innovative and extensive free-to-air coverage from Glasgow 2014, I have no doubt that UK sports fans will be transported ‘down under’ for an inspiring and memorable Games experience in two years’ time.”

Barbara Slater, BBC’s Director of Sport, said: “We’re delighted to be continuing our relationship with the Commonwealth Games, an event we have covered for over sixty years. The Games never fail to deliver those moments that unite the nation and we’re delighted that we’ll be there to bring all of the action – free to air – to audiences across all of our platforms.”

Welcoming the news from a Scottish perspective, Paul Bush OBE, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland added: “The BBC has always done an incredible job of supporting the Commonwealth Games and the home nation teams, not only with national network coverage, but particularly by the nations and regions.

“Independent research shows that Team Scotland has the highest positive support of any Scottish national team by the Scottish public. We therefore look forward to working closely with BBC Sport and BBC Scotland, to ensure we can fully share our journey to the Gold Coast and inspire future generations of young people to get involved in sport.”

This latest agreement joins the existing broadcast deals across Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the United States for Gold Coast 2018, Australia’s first Commonwealth Games since the hugely successful 2006 Games in Melbourne.

As the 71 nations and territories of the Commonwealth celebrate Commonwealth Day today, Gold Coast, Australia has announced the para-sports programme for the next Games to be held there in 2018.

Following on from the innovation of Glasgow 2014, which staged the biggest and most successful para-sports programme in Commonwealth Games history, the programme is set to grow even further when the Games takes place in Gold Coast in just over two years’ time.

In Gold Coast 2018, up to 300 para-athletes are expected to compete in 38 medal events across seven sports (four core sports and three optional sports selected by the host city) , representing an increase of 45% more athletes and 73% more medals. Sports include: Aquatics (Swimming), Athletics, Cycling (Track), Lawn Bowls and Powerlifting, all previously held in Glasgow, although some of the events and athlete classifications have been changed. Specific events are decided by the host city in conjunction with the Commonwealth Games Federation and the International Paralympic Committee.

In addition, the sports of Triathlon and Table Tennis have been added, with Triathlon making its debut, building on the enormous success and profile of the Triathlon competition at Glasgow 2014 and internationally.

There will be an equal number of men’s and women’s events across all seven para-sports, further demonstrating the Commonwealth sports movement’s commitment to equality and inclusion.

Since the last Games, both the Swimming and Athletics para-sport programme has doubled (from 6 to 12 medal eventseach), including the first ever wheelchair Marathon (T54) at a Commonw ealth Games, which will take the inspirational thrill of para-sport competition to the streets and communities of the Gold Coast.

Welcoming the news Jon Doig OBE, Commonwealth Games Chief Executive said: “Glasgow 2014 moved the Para-Sport programme on to a new level and it is great to see Gold Coast’s commitment to inclusion go even further, with the introduction of two news sports and even more medal opportunities.

“Team Scotland had great success in para-sports in Glasgow winning seven medals (3 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze) in four out of the five sports on the programme. They provided some of Scotland’s most memorable moments with double gold for Neil Fachie and Craig MacLean in cycling, gold for sprinter Libby Clegg and guide Mikhail Huggins on the Hampden track and our youngest team member Erraid Davies from Shetland became darling of the pool, winning bronze in the 100m Breaststroke at just 13 years of age.

“We have already started working with the relevant sports governing bodies and Scottish Disability Sport to identify the talent pool for Gold Coast, particularly in the two new sports of Triathlon and Table Tennis and we are confident that we have the potential to be well represented once again.

“It is fantastic that a number of para-sport athletes who competed in Glasgow will get another opportunity to be selected for Team Scotland, but it is particularly unfortunate that Libby Clegg’s event is no longer on the programme.”

Please see below for the full event and classification list.

Athletics – Women

1 T53/T54 Marathon

2 T53/T54 1500m

3 T37/T38 Long Jump

4 T37/T38 100m

5 T35 100m

6 F45/F46 Javelin

Athletics – Men

7 T53/T54 Marathon

8 T53/T54 1500m

9 T11/T12 100m

10 T37/T38 100m

11 T45/T46/T47 100m

12 F37/F38 Shot Put

Swimming – Women

13 S7/S8 50m Freestyle

14 S8/S9 100m Freestyle

15 SB8/SB9 100m Breaststroke

16 SM9/SM10 200m Individual Medley

17 S6/S7 50m Butterfly

18 S8/S9 100m Backstroke

Swimming – Men

19 S8/S9 100m Freestyle

20 S8/S9 100m Backstroke

21 S6/S7 50m Freestyle

22 SB7/SB8 100m Breaststroke

23 SM7/SM8 200m Individual Medley

24 S14 200m Freestyle

Powerlifting – Women

25 Lightweight

26 Heavyweight

Powerlifting – Men

27 Lightweight

28 Heavyweight

Triathlon

29. Women PT1

30. Men PT1

Table Tennis

31. Women TT8–TT10

32. Men TT8–TT10

Cycling (Track)

33. Women B & VI Sprint

34. Women B & VI 1000m Time Trial

35. Men B & VI Sprint

36. Men B & VI 1000m Time Trial

Lawn Bowls

37. B2/B3 Mixed Pairs

38. B6/B7/B8 Open Triples