Aged 20 and hailing from Jordan Hill in Glasgow, Jax Thoirs is 6ft 6in, 14st and has gone from strength to strength since he started Pole Vaulting at the age of 14.
With personal bests achieved every year so far, Jax has repeatedly bettered the Scottish record over the past 12 months and at the 2013 Scottish National Championships last weekend he claimed the highest jump ever by a Scottish man on Scottish soil. In fact, Jax left the competition undefeated by human, but was unfortunately beaten by the elements, as the wind put a stop to proceedings and his hopes of a new Scottish record.
Jax’s tall and sturdy frame is arguably what makes him such a threat when entering any major competition; but it is this same frame that in his early teens caused him to quit his main sport. “I was actually a Scottish national gymnast when I was younger, but then I got too tall for the sport. I’m lucky that when you are off the ground, Pole Vaulting actually translates perfectly with Gymnastics, so it worked out pretty well for me.”
Discovering Pole Vaulting at a come and try session in the Kelvin Hall, Jax loved the experience of flying through the air. “At that session, I jumped pretty high for my age and since then I have been jumping higher and higher every year. It is a pretty awesome feeling.”
Now based out in the American North West in Seattle, Jax is enrolled at the University of Washington, nicknamed the Huskies, on a full-ride four year athletics scholarship. He has just successfully completed his first year and although he has no idea what subject he would like to qualify in, Jax is sure he is in the right place:
“Ever since I was very young I knew that Washington had a great coach who coached Brad Walker, the American number two right now and has jumped six metres. Brad is built very similarly to me, so I knew that moving out there would be the best thing. It is the perfect balance between training and studying and of course Seattle is really nice and I regularly get to compete in California which is even nicer.”
The Pacific Atlantic Conference hosts twelve of the most athletically competitive American universities and is aptly named, the PAC12. Jax has spent the past year matching up against the best the PAC12 has to offer and says: “There is a couple of 5.50m guys in the PAC12 and it is great to compete week in week out against that caliber of opponent and you can see the results. But at the Commonwealth Games, the guys will be jumping even higher.”
However, living the high-life, in every sense out in America is not plain sailing for Jax. “The American system can be difficult, because you don’t really stop between the indoor and outdoor seasons. Most people in the UK schedule a training block in between the two to recover, a little gym work and generally a recuperation period for the next part of the year. But we go straight through January to June, so I will have to pace myself. By the time I get to Glasgow 2014, I need to be in best shape possible because it is all about that right now.”
Early signs of making that transatlantic transition are positive and Jax expects to walk away from Glasgow 2014 baring a medal: “Of course I am aiming to win, but I would have to jump really well for that, but it is a possibility. I do fully expect a medal of one colour or another though.”
Whether it is, Gymnastics to Pole Vaulting, Jordan Hill Secondary School to the University of Washington, Jax has experienced transition in his life. However, the toughest transition of taking off and landing without touching that bar in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games will be made all the easier with his hometown crowd behind him.
Photo Credit: Mark Shearman
With just one week to go before up to one million tickets go on sale for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, five elite sports personalities are today (Monday August 12) unveiled as Official Games Ambassadors and stars of the Games’ Ticketing campaign.
London 2012 Gold medallists Jessica Ennis-Hill and Nicola Adams, Olympic and Commonwealth Scottish swimming stars Michael Jamieson and David Carry and Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Games athlete Allan Wells have been named as Official Glasgow 2014 Ambassadors. They join Britain’s greatest Olympian, Sir Chris Hoy and Rebecca Adlington, Britain’s most successful Olympic swimmer for a century as sporting Ambassadors for the Commonwealth Games which come to Glasgow in less than a year’s time.
The sporting champions will feature throughout the campaign to encourage everyone to be part of the UK’s next major sporting occasion and the biggest sporting and cultural festival that Scotland has ever hosted.
Michael, Jessica and Nicola will be seen in iconic outdoor posters from Monday August 12 and will also feature in a 40-second TV advert which will be aired across Scotland and the North of England, and shown in cinemas, from next Monday (August 19), the day tickets for next year’s Games go on sale to the nation and across the Commonwealth.
The advert, narrated by Scottish actor and Grey’s Anatomy star Kevin McKidd, showcases the electrifying and world-class sports action spectators can enjoy next summer. Featuring the soundtrack “Let’s Go” by Scots superstar DJ Calvin Harris, the TV ad fires the starting pistol for the four-week ticketing phase where fans can apply for Games tickets across the 17 sports.
Tickets for Glasgow 2014 are accessible, affordable and for everyone. Prices start from just £15 for adults with half price concessions for under 16s and over 60s. More than two thirds of the tickets cost £25 or less. Applying for tickets is simple and fair and designed to help as many people as possible be part of the Games.
Commonwealth and Olympic legend Allan Wells MBE and double gold-medal winning Commonwealth swimmer David Carry will also work closely with the Glasgow 2014 team offering their insight into competing in both Olympic and Commonwealth Games and encouraging and inspiring everyone to be part of something special at Glasgow 2014.
Michael Jamieson is Olympic and Commonwealth 200m breaststroke silver medallist. Returning to the pool in which he trained as a young swimmer, Michael is aiming to go one better at Tollcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow next summer by winning a home gold in every sense.
Michael Jamieson, said: “Glasgow 2014 is going to be one of the highlights of my career and I’m delighted to be an Official Ambassador for the Games. Tollcross, the venue for swimming at the Games, is the pool in which I trained as a youngster and decided that I wanted to take swimming seriously. I’ve trained in that pool with just my coach watching; I can’t wait to swim there in front of a packed home crowd creating what I’m sure will be a wall of noise.
“Swimming for me is all about competing and performing in big competitions, and they don’t come much bigger than a Commonwealth Games in your home city and home pool. I can’t wait and I’m going for gold.”
David Carry said: “The spine-tingling and unforgettable atmosphere of competing at a Commonwealth Games is one of the memories of my career which will stay with me forever. I’m sure the athletes gearing up to compete at Glasgow 2014 will experience something extra special as Glasgow and Scotland is known for its passionate and enthusiastic crowds.
“I hope the whole nation gets behind the athletes competing, to experience the moments of drama, excitement and celebration of the Games.”
Allan Wells MBE said: “The Commonwealth Games is an event like no other, bringing out the best in some of the world’s greatest athletes. My experience competing and winning medals for Team Scotland at two Commonwealth Games rank among the highlights of my career.
“Glasgow 2014 is an opportunity for the next generation of Scottish athletes to take centre stage and perform in front of packed stadiums full of spectators shouting their names. I look forward to playing a part as we continue on our journey over the next year towards what will be a special Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year.”
For more information on Glasgow 2014 ticketing, visit: http://glasgow2014.com/tickets/
For link to advert, visit: http://glasgow2014.com/
It is not uncommon for children to emulate their parents and Lynsey Sharp from Edinburgh is no exception. Aged 23 and currently training at Loughborough University, Lynsey’s parents were both top athletes with her Dad (Cameron Sharp) an Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist in the 4x100m relay in 1978. Her mother Carol also represented Scotland in the 800m, the same event that Lynsey is currently focusing on for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
800m roughly equates to eight lengths of a football pitch or, in Lynsey’s case, two laps of a full size running track. But behind those two laps is hours of dedication poured into her trade both on and off the track and she often calls upon her parents for support: “I learn a lot from them and they understand, even possibly more than me what it takes. I often turn to them for advice with the media, injuries, success – I’m always emailing my dad and on the phone to my Mum. My Mum has learnt over the years when I want to talk about athletics and she knows when I don’t.”
One of Lynsey’s first major championships was the 2008 Youth Commonwealth Games in India where she collected a bronze medal and since then she has gone from strength to strength. 2012 saw her win silver at the European Championships, a result which was recently upgraded to gold following a doping violation by the Russian race winner and she also made the 800m semi-final on her Olympic debut: “I’ve only watched my London race back on Youtube once but if you watch it, the girl on the lane inside of me covers her ears because my introduction was so loud. It was an amazing environment, the crowd were awesome.”
The Moscow 2013 Athletic World Championships start on Saturday 10 August and seven Scots will be present in the Team GB & NI lineup, but unfortunately, Lynsey Sharp will not be one of them. Suffering from a foot injury which has kept her out of action since May, Lynsey said: “I will watch it on TV because there is a lot of Scots out there, but I probably will give the Women’s 800m a miss, it will only frustrate me.”
“I will make time to support my countrymen/women, but being injured is just as busy as if I were fully training. I have physio, training twice a day and loads of rehab so I’m just as busy as before really, it’s just boring when everyone leaves for competitions.”
“I was actually trying to get back competing for the end of this year, but because next year is so important with Glasgow, I’ve decided not to rush my comeback. Missing this year has made me more focused on next year, it has challenged me to be in the best shape possible for Glasgow.”
You can follow Lynsey on Twitter: @LynseySharp
Photo credit: Getty Images
Brother and sister, Kareena and William Marshall from Paisley, both play hockey for Scotland and are hoping to be part of Team Scotland for the second time, when the Commonwealth Games come to Glasgow next year. The competition will be staged at the magnificent new National Hockey Centre at Glasgow Green, which opened its doors to the public in July.
Driving them on towards their goal is a combination of a healthy sibling rivalry and the desire to follow in the footsteps of their mother Judith, a former England hockey player.
Explaining how they got involved in the sport William (27) said: “My earliest memory is of watching my mum play hockey. She was massively into the sport and was an England internationalist and this clearly influenced our involvement in hockey.”
“As the oldest, I started playing hockey first, but we joined Greenock Hockey Club at the same time and stayed there until we were 17/18 years old before joining Kelburne in Paisley.”
And Kareena (26) who trained as a physiotherapist and now lives in Glasgow, is the first to admit how seriously they both take the sport: “There is massive rivalry between us. We are both really driven people and we both want to achieve. So I sometimes come down and see how William is getting on. He is doing pretty well at the moment and I strive to be as good as him, but I can also teach him a few things!”
“If I am selected for Team Scotland it would be a great honour to be playing in my home city. I can’t think of anything better than having all my friends and family coming to watch me play hockey.”
“Hopefully the new Hockey Centre will give the sport a real boost. We are not one of the most high profile sports, but we do have a lot of people that play. So hopefully more people including schools will be able to come and see top level hockey in Glasgow and access the facility themselves.”
Looking back to his first Commonwealth Games, William added: “The whole experience in Delhi was excellent from the volunteers to the massive crowds and it gave me a real buzz and motivation to be part of Glasgow 2014 and do whatever I can to be on the pitch playing next summer.”
“Our mum is very proud of both of us. She was in Delhi and loved every minute of it! She did a lot with her sporting career, so every time we get to do anything like this, we are trying to emulate what she did. She has been up in Scotland for so long now that she sees herself as fully Scottish so has no problem with us representing Scotland; it was the natural thing for us to do.”
The next stop in the selection process for both of them is Hockey’s European Championships in August.
The men who are playing in Vienna are looking for promotion into the A Division, whilst the women are looking to retain their current A status at the tournament hosted in Antwerp. Both teams have tough draws with the women up against England, Spain and Germany, but helping in their quest for European and Commonwealth Games success is funding from sportscotland.
Kareena explained: “The women are benefiting from funding that allows us two periods of full-time training up to Glasgow 2014.”
“We started at the end of June and it has been fantastic. We have been training together as a squad five days a week in Edinburgh and already we are starting to notice the difference. Not having to work a 37 hour week before training has massively improved the quality of our training and the team coming together regularly will help us compete with the best.”
Whilst the men don’t qualify for quite the same level of support they recently started part-time squad training and then start next winter to prepare in earnest for the Commonwealth Games.
Let’s hope they can both make mum proud once more when the team gets selected next year.
You can follow both William and Kareena on Twitter:
@williammarshal4 @kazmarshall7
Photo Credit: CGS
Whilst the 15th Swimming World Championships in Barcelona proved disappointing for Great Britain, with only one medal to celebrate, the seven Scots on the team have much to be positive about, as their focus turns to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next summer.
Robbie Renwick (Aberdeen/Glasgow) secured the best individual World Championship result of his career, finishing sixth in the 200m Freestyle and the first Commonwealth athlete to hit the pads. This is the title he will be defending in Glasgow next year in his home pool at Tollcross.
Hannah Miley (Inverurie) is also still well placed to defend her 400m Individual Medley title in Glasgow and while she was disappointed with her fifth place finish in Barcelona, she is confident that the improvement shown from London 2012 augurs well and that she’ll be in good shape come July 2014.
Hopes had been high for Michael Jamieson (Glasgow/Bath) who went into the World Championships with the fastest time in the world this year for 200m Breaststroke, the event he won Olympic silver in at London 2012 and also at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. However an arm injury earlier in the year thwarted his preparations for the World Championships and left him without the required fitness and “back-end” speed to secure a medal this time round, finishing fifth. Understandably frustrated with this setback, Jamieson plans to get straight back to training and focus on Glasgow 2014.
What was particularly pleasing to see, was how the new faces on the team coped under the pressure of a major Championship. Craig McNally (Edinburgh) competed in Delhi three years ago, but with a new found maturity he looked a completely different swimmer in Barcelona, finishing sixth in his first World Championships final and breaking the Scottish Record for the 200m Backstroke.
His Warrender team-mate, Dan Wallace (Edinburgh), also impressed, taking five seconds off his personal best to finish seventh in the 400m Individual Medley in a new Scottish record, becoming just the third Brit to duck under 4:14 minutes.
Ross Murdoch (Alexandria/Stirling) also enhanced his reputation as one of Britain’s leading 100m Breaststrokers. While he didn’t make the final itself in Barcelona (he finished 11th overall) he certainly made his Commonwealth rivals sit up and take notice.
Jak Scott (Edinburgh/Stirling) also added to his experience helping the GBR team progress to the final of the 4x200m Freestyle. Both he and Robbie Renwick have enjoyed medal success in this event at previous Commonwealth Games and will looking for more of the same next year, cheered on by the home crowd.
With just under a year to go until Glasgow 2014 Scotland’s swimmers will be now be out to retain their title of Team Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Games sport of all time.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Shona Marshall is one of Scotland’s top female shooters who is gunning to compete on home soil next year in what would be her third Commonwealth Games, following her individual silver medal success in Delhi.
Marshall competes in the Women’s Olympic Trap which is one of the events in the Clay Target discipline of the sport. The 49 year-old mother of two grown-up children started shooting at the age of 18, introduced to the sport by her ex-husband.
Having been into a variety of sports competitively at school, it was a natural progression for Shona to then compete in clay target shooting. By 1990 she decided to “retire” from shooting to look after her children and develop a farming business. However, inspired by the success of female shooters in the Manchester Games back in 2002, Shona set her sights on glory of her own and has never looked back since.
Team Scotland caught up with Shona ahead of her trip to Germany for the European Championships to find out how her preparations and life on the farm are going.
Q: You have just returned from the World Cup in Granada, Spain; tell us how the event went for you?
SM: I have shot in Granada before so I was familiar with the range and the temperatures were very hot. Unfortunately, after a good day of shooting on the training day, I wasn’t able to carry that through to the competition phase. There were plenty of positive parts to take from my performance through into the European Championships. I have been to Suhl (in Germany) twice before so I know what to expect at the range. My main goal is to continue perfecting my routine so that I make as few mistakes as possible, which in turn means I will break more targets.
Q: You said you were inspired by the Manchester Commonwealth Games, what were the next steps for you to reach your current level?
SM: I worked hard to qualify for the Melbourne Games in 2006 which was a great experience. Living on a farm meant that I was able to install three traps to train on at home instead of travelling two and a half hours to the nearest range for me at Glenmoriston. From there I’ve gone on to win several Silver and Bronze team medals for Great Britain at European and World Championships. My biggest accolade to date though would be winning Silver for Scotland in Delhi 2010.
Q: How do you juggle work with training?
SM: I still run my farm but made the decision to sell my pedigree herd of Aberdeen-Angus cattle a few years ago so I could train full time. I am now involved with the running of Glenmoriston Shooting Ground which takes up quite a bit of time but I am committed to reinstating the ground as the premier trap range in Scotland, if not the UK. I now split my training between home and Glenmoriston.
Q: Tell us about your experience in Delhi where you brought home your silver medal?
SM: Delhi was a fantastic experience. My team-mate (Linda Pearson) and I narrowly missed out on a medal in the pairs competition and I didn’t want to go home empty-handed. In my individual event, my second round was not what I’d hoped for but knew there was still a chance to make the final. I made it through a shoot-off to qualify! I was delighted and decided to just relax and enjoy the final. It worked – I shot a personal best and pushed Anita North from England (who took Gold) all the way. She stood up to the pressure and I took the Silver medal. I couldn’t be disappointed as I know I performed well and the whole experience of the Games was truly awe-inspiring.
Q: What are your expectations for Glasgow?
SM: I am aiming for Gold in Glasgow. I will do my very best to perform at the highest level and if I can do that then I have a real chance of winning a medal. Shooting as a sport generally receives little or no media coverage so the Games are a great opportunity to showcase the depth of talent shooting has in Scotland across all the disciplines.
I am looking forward to letting friends and family see exactly what it is I travel around the world doing! It is important to me to do well and help publicise my sport and hopefully encourage others to take part!
Q: What do you need to do to ensure your place in Team Scotland?
SM: I have to achieve three scores with an average of 68 (the score needed to make the final in Delhi) which I have already done so I really hope I will be nominated as part of the Team. It is important though that I keep working hard and achieve good results in the upcoming major competitions, gaining as much experience as I can at a top level so I can be fully prepared for Glasgow, should I get the chance to compete there.
Q: Who are your main rivals to look out for in Glasgow?
SM: At the world level, most of the European nations are strong contenders, as are the USA. On the Commonwealth stage, Australia has some strong youngsters coming through who are doing well on the world circuit. England will also be strong but I maintain that my biggest rival is always myself.
Q: What’s next for you after the Europeans in Germany?
SM: Having won the last two Great Britain selection shoots, I have been selected for the World Championships in Lima, Peru in September. There is also a home international at my home club in August. Being in the middle of the season, I am doing a limited amount of very specific training in order to stay fresh for competing.
I plan to take some time off in October and November to rest and plan my campaign for Glasgow. There should be some warm weather training over the winter somewhere and early competition in Qatar in February. If I am selected for Team GB there are World Cups in USA, Brazil and Kazakhstan in March and April. On top of that there will be continued strength and conditioning work to ensure my body is fit to cope with the amount of shooting and travelling I have to do. My mental game will not be forgotten about either with work continuing on that.
Q: What would you say to inspire more females into the sport and what challenges have you faced along the way being a female in a male-dominated sport?
SM: Shooting is one of the few sports where women can compete on a level playing field with men. Clay shooting is an exciting, dynamic sport and is very skilful. The main challenge for women is actually finding a gun that fits! We are generally shorter than men so the gun stocks are usually too long for us. Few are willing to shorten the stock due to the loss of value in the gun but if more women took up the sport then they would be more in demand and would become more valuable.
I have noticed that some men don’t like being beaten by a woman! However those types are in the minority and most accept you for the competitor that you are.
You can follow Shona on Twitter @ShonaMarshall_1
Photo Credit: Donald McIntosh
Bowls Scotland’s National Championships finals get underway at Ayr’s Northfield Bowling Club on Tuesday with its highest entry yet including a number of top internationalists – six current world champions will be competing venue.
Conspicuous amongst the big guns at Ayr are Alex Marshall MBE and Paul Foster, two of the most recognisable figures in the world game. They are World Champions in the Pairs and Commonwealth Games gold medallists from 2006.
A year ago Marshall and Foster both competed (although not together) in the Pairs at Northfield. A much anticipated final never materialised after Foster went out in the quarter finals and Marshall lost in the semis.
But this year, as part of their bid to gain the sole Singles spot on Team Scotland for next year’s Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, both will be going it alone in the Men’s Singles starting on Friday.
“With the Commonwealth Games coming up next year in Glasgow obviously I would like an opportunity to be in the Singles,” says Marshall, who plays for East Lothian’s Gifford Bowling Club.
“But at the end of the day it’s whoever does well between now and selection time; who does well in singles will get the singles spot.”
“I just want to give myself a chance and I’ve got the hunger back that I used to have and I’m playing more now than I used to play many years ago. So I’m looking forward to it.”
Both players have come through what they describe as hard district matches to reach this week’s finals. Now they are in opposite halves of the draw, so if they do meet in Ayr this time, then it will only be in the final
The fact they are both World Champions is no guarantee either will reach the latter stages, with Marshall facing a tough opener against fellow international, Iain McLean. And in many ways being a top world player carries with it a significant disadvantage.
“Everybody will be in Ayr on merit and there is nothing better to put on your CV than you have beaten one of the big guns,” says Troon Portland competitor, Foster, winner of the National Singles in 2004 and the Pairs in 2007.
“I know a lot of people will look at the draw and say I hope Paul and Alex get to the final because it will be a cracking final but you’ve just got to look at one game at a time.”
“I’ll never be disrespectful to any of the players, there are a lot of good players in the draw. I know that if you don’t play well at these championships then you’re out, it’s as simple as that.”
On a long list of Scottish internationalists in action at Ayr this week are twice Commonwealth Games gold medallist and three times World Champion, Willie Wood MBE from Gifford Bowling Club who teams up with his cousin Brian Bissett and Brian Galloway in the Triples.
Contesting one of the strongest ever Ladies Singles draws is Margaret Letham, multiple Commonwealth Games competitor and reigning Fours World Champion (Burnbank Hamilton) who will be challenging title holder Lorna Smith (Linlithgow). World Champions Caroline Brown (Bellshill & Mossend) and Lynn Stein (Kennoway) are both in the Ladies Pairs.
You can follow the National Championships on Twitter @BowlsScotland
Photo credit: Rob Eyton-Jones
Dramatic imagery from some of Scotland’s most famous views took on a quirky ONE-off look to celebrate today’s (Tuesday July 23) historic ‘One Year to Go’ milestone for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
From the bleak beauty of Glen Etive (which provided the memorable backdrop to the last Bond movie, Skyfall) to the breathtaking elegance of the Edinburgh skyline, the message that Glasgow and Scotland are counting down to the biggest sporting occasion in the nation’s history was writ large in the landscape – with a 16ft inflatable number one.
A series of nine portraits were commissioned by Glasgow 2014, each capturing a different aspect of the home nation for next summer’s Commonwealth Games – from its natural beauty, historic landmarks, iconic sporting fields of play or its connections with the Games themselves.
The images will be shared across 71 nations and territories as Commonwealth Games Associations from Tuvalu to Tanzania to mark the date in exactly one year’s time on which a spectacular Opening Ceremony will officially launch the start of a great sporting occasion for 4,500 of the world’s top athletes.
In Glasgow today (July 23) the major milestone is set to be marked in celebratory style with a series of magical and fun moments involving top athletes, thousands of people across the city and the nation and led by Glasgow 2014 Ambassador and six-time Olympian and double Commonwealth Gold medal winner, Sir Chris Hoy.
Sir Chris is set to start the day by hosting a people’s bike challenge and a Breakfast of Champions in the middle of the city’s main shopping zone, Buchanan Street. Glasgow 2014’s cheeky mascot Clyde will also take to the streets to join dancers, musicians and street performers in showcasing how vibrant the city will feel at Games time.
At the heart of the day’s action will be the unveiling of the Glasgow 2014 Official Ticketing Guide – the route to up to one million seats at the heart of the Games live action, across 17 sports. The Ticketing Guide, featuring stunning athletic imagery from across the sports programme sets out full details of how everyone can be part of an accessible and affordable Commonwealth Games.
Ticket prices start at £15 for all sports, with half-price tickets for under-16s and over -60s. Two thirds of all sports tickets are £25 or under and there are no booking fees for any tickets. The ticket price also includes public transport in the local area on the day of the sports session.
Commenting on the milestone moment Lord Smith of Kelvin, Chairman of Glasgow 2014, said: “Today marks an important moment in the journey towards the biggest sporting and cultural festival Glasgow and Scotland has ever hosted.
“With one year to go, the Organising Committee is making great strides towards our ultimate goal of delivering an outstanding Games for the athletes of the Commonwealth.
“I’m delighted to see how the city and the nation are getting set to welcome the world to enjoy our landscape, our friendship and truly great international sport.”
Michael Cavanagh, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland added: “Just as these wonderful images show off some of the most iconic parts of Scotland, athletes across the length and breadth of the country are training hard and competing to the best of their ability, to secure their place on Team Scotland and realise their dream of competing in a home Commonwealth Games.
“In exactly one year’s time Team Scotland’s athletes will be ready to go up against the best in the Commonwealth and make their mark at the biggest international sporting event to come to these shores. We urge the public to support them in their quest for success at Glasgow 2014.”
Six-time Olympian and double Commonwealth gold medal winner Sir Chris Hoy today (Tuesday 23 July) fired off a festival day of sporting and interactive fun in Glasgow as the city and Scotland celebrated the magical one-year milestone to the Commonwealth Games.
Sir Chris kick-started a day of celebration by supporting a people’s Glasgow 2014 Cycle Challenge and a Breakfast of Champions with lucky sports fans in the middle of the city’s main shopping zone, Buchanan Street. Glasgow 2014’s cheeky mascot, Clyde, also took to the streets to join dancers, musicians and street performers in showcasing how vibrant and fun the city will feel at Games time.
At the heart of the day’s action was the unveiling of the Glasgow 2014 Official Ticketing Guide – the route to up to one million seats at the heart of the Games live action, across 17 sports. The Ticketing Guide, featuring stunning athletic imagery from across the sports programme, sets out full details how everyone can be part of an accessible and affordable Commonwealth Games.
From today 350,000 copies of the guide will be available across Scotland and online at www.glasgow2014.com/tickets
Sir Chris joined Team Scotland athletes, Glasgow 2014 Chairman Lord Smith and Games Partners for its official launch. Ticketing for the Games goes live on Monday August 19, when sports fans can make their ticket choices.
Glasgow 2014 tickets are affordable, making the Games a must-be-part-of occasion for everyone. Prices start at £15 for all sports, with half-price tickets for under 16s and over 60s. Two thirds of all sports tickets are £25 or under and there are no booking fees for any tickets. The ticket price also includes public transport in the local area on the day of the sports session.
All this and the chance to see the Commonwealth’s greatest sports stars in action, in Scotland!
Glasgow 2014 Ambassador, Sir Chris Hoy, said: “It’s a real thrill to be in the heart of Glasgow today celebrating the One Year to Go milestone to the Commonwealth Games. Glasgow 2014 is the biggest sporting celebration coming to the UK next year, the biggest sporting occasion ever seen in Scotland and the next opportunity to see a wealth of top athletes and the next generation of superstars in action.
“The Commonwealth Games has a very special place in my heart. It’s an occasion like no other in sport and I have no doubt that Glasgow and Scotland will ensure next year’s Games are an unforgettable and enjoyable experience for athletes and spectators alike. I’d encourage everyone to be part of this. Roll on next year and bring on Glasgow 2014!”
Daniel Keatings, Scottish Gymnast and front page star of the Official Ticketing Guide, said: “I’m honoured and proud to be on the front cover for the Glasgow 2014 Ticketing Guide. Glasgow 2014 is going to be one of the biggest competitions in my career and the thought of standing on the podium in Glasgow next year in front of a home crowd means everything.
“Growing up and training as an athlete, you always want to test yourself against the best athletes on the biggest stages. A major championships in your home country, it makes it that extra bit special.”
Michael Cavanagh, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, added: “We are delighted to see the launch of the Official Ticketing Guide today which does a fantastic job of depicting the exciting and dynamic nature of all 17 sports in the Games, highlighting the skill and power of the athletes in action. We are particularly proud that four Team Scotland hopefuls feature in it, including gymnast Daniel Keatings on the cover; double Commonwealth Games gold medallist in shooting Jennifer McIntosh; rugby 7s captain Colin Gregor; and Commonwealth Games silver medallist, weightlifter Peter Kirkbride.
“In exactly one year’s time Team Scotland’s athletes will be ready to go up against the best in the Commonwealth and make their mark at the biggest international sporting event to come to these shores. We urge the public to buy tickets when they go on sale next month and make sure that the venues are filled with cheering Scots, helping to make home advantage count.”
Team Scotland plan to have a stunning new look, when as the home team they are last to enter the stadium at Celtic Park for the Opening Ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, a year from now.
Internationally known textile designer and artist, Jilli Blackwood has been commissioned by Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) to bring some contemporary style and flair to the parade uniforms and ensure that when the eyes of the world are on Scotland they live up to expectations.
Explaining how it all began, CGS Chief Executive and Team Scotland Chef de Mission Jon Doig said: “The Scottish team has always made a big impression when it enters the stadium at a Commonwealth Games, mainly wearing the traditional kilt. However for 2014, whilst we want to retain iconic Scottish elements we want to introduce a contemporary twist.
“Over the years we have had special team tartans made and sometimes we have drawn links to the Games host country such as Indian style shirt collars in Delhi 2010, but the look has largely remained consistent and traditional. The women in particular have always felt that the design is vey male oriented and lacks a sense of style and attention to detail.
“So for 2014 we decided to engage a designer to work with us, to ensure that we bring a contemporary look that works for everyone and one that showcases the best of Scotland’s vibrant design industry. We have also involved the athletes in the discussions and decision making and will continue to do so throughout.
“We saw the stunning outfits that Jilli Blackwood designed for the cast involved in the Glasgow section of the Delhi 2010 Closing Ceremony and decided to discuss our ideas with her.
“I am delighted to say that her interpretation of our initial brief was spot on and that she understood what we are trying to achieve from the word go. So we are delighted to have now formally engaged her to work with us on this really exciting project.”
Born in Glasgow and educated at Glasgow School of Art, Jilli Blackwood makes her own fabrics by weaving them on a 24 inch Harris loom. She is renowned for her embroidery techniques and for combining different fabrics such as silk, leather, and linen to create a colourful, sensual, three-dimensional surface. All fabrics are hand dyed in an inspirational process of artistic alchemy.
Jilli is delighted to be working on this commission and whilst not ready to reveal her full design ideas yet, she outlines: “My vision for the project is to create a strong and confident look for the team through colour and texture which is loosely inspired by the Scottish Highland landscape.
“The design is about layering of experiences and it is full of vibrancy and enthusiasm and will make a clear statement of intent for the athletes, as they enter one of the biggest arenas of their sporting careers.”
Whilst still at an early stage in the process, CGS is confident that with Jilli’s help they will achieve the impact they want, when the anticipated more than one billion viewers world-wide tune into the Opening Ceremony on 23d July 2014.
Photo: Ken Mellin