Team Scotland are delighted to welcome Fiona Burnet and Jamie Farndale as our first Sustainability Captains.
The duo are already active ambassadors of climate action, and will assist Commonwealth Games Scotland with our Sustainability Action Plan.
Fiona, 26, is part of our Hockey team for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. She is a Climate Champion with Eco Athletes, a team of athletes and academics, climate scientists and ecopreneurs, devoted to identifying and equipping athletes to lead climate action.
Jamie, 28, leads our Rugby 7s side, and is already a Sustainability Ambassador for Scottish Rugby. He supported World Rugby with their Environment Sustainability Plan, and will begin a Masters course on sustainability at Cambridge University in September.
They have already been involved in Birmingham 2022’s work towards creating a carbon neutral legacy, including recently taking part in a pilot activity with athletes to measure their carbon footprint and find ways to reduce it.
As Sustainability Captains they will play a lead role in supporting Team Scotland’s sustainability efforts, providing an athlete input into our strategy and adopting a leadership role in sharing information and advice with fellow Team Scotland athletes.
Fiona said: “I am honoured to be a Sustainability Captain for Team Scotland.
“I grew up on the west coast of the country so always loved nature, but my interest and passion for sustainability and the environment have really developed over the past few years.
“I was involved with COP26 in Glasgow last year, and it was a real eye opener for me. We need to do more, and athletes and sport can play their part.
“Birmingham is a really positive example where they are trying to have a carbon-neutral legacy. They are taking steps which are really positive and hopefully other major sports will look at the Games, a multi-sport event with 72 countries, and think ‘if they can do it then why can’t we?”.
“If we want to enjoy these huge events in the future then changes need to be made, and that starts with ourselves and our sports.”
Jamie said: “Sport has the power to unite and inspire through the millions of fans that are involved and the emotional connection that teams have – we can help to create the behavioural changes required to achieve climate targets.
“If sports people and organisations speak about important issues and do the right things like highlighting the need for sustainability then they can help make the difference.
“There are lots of good things going on at Birmingham in the sustainability space, and hopefully we can use the learnings and momentum from here to inspire change among athletes, sports and supporters alike.”
Fiona and Jamie were presented with specially commissioned Scotland armbands, embroidered by Edinburgh-based textile artist Lucy Freeman.
Commonwealth Games Scotland are at the early stages of our sustainability journey, having committed to our vision and action plan in 2021. Our aims are:
- to become one of the most sustainable sporting organisations in Scotland, and;
- to use our extensive range of relationships with other organisations to initiate sustainability conversations within the wider sporting community.
Our actions in the build-up to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games include:
- planting a tree for every athlete to mark their achievement in selection for Birmingham 2022, through Scottish charity Trees for Life
- working with Eco Athletes to create an FAQ for athletes looking to learn more about living a more sustainable life as an athlete and using their platforms for social good
- becoming a signatory of the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework
- having our parade outfits made in Scotland, with all materials sourced locally and offcuts repurposed to make outfit accessories
- using local, sustainable products where possible, including wooden pin badges made in the UK, refillable water bottles, cork pens and notebooks.
To learn more about Team Scotland’s Sustainability Vision and Action Plan please click HERE.
For many athletes, competing at the highest level is, technically, still a hobby as they find time to train and participate in elite competitions while also managing to hold down a day job, using days off and holiday entitlements to allow them to travel abroad in pursuit of excellence.
Then there are others who can use those high-profile events to make a living out of their chosen sport. Josh Taylor is among their number.
The 31-year-old competed for Scotland at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi as a teenager, coming home with a silver medal in the light-welterweight division, then went one better on home soil in Glasgow four years later.
Shortly after that success he joined the professional ranks and became the first British boxer to hold all four major belts (WBA, WBC, WBHO and IBF) in the same weight category.
It doesn’t get much better than being recognised as one of the few undisputed world champions of the modern era.
Yet the man from Prestonpans insists that winning gold for Scotland while his relatives cheered him on remains his most satisfying achievement.
“Fortunately, I made up for the disappointment of Delhi at the 2014 Games in Glasgow,” said Taylor.
“That was a great occasion: the weather during the Games was perfect – almost as hot as it had been in India!
“Once again there was a great atmosphere among the athletes in the village and the spectators at the events. I didn’t get to sample too much of that, though, because I managed to go all the way to the final again; at least I got to enjoy the party afterwards.
“Getting the gold that time made all the difference, of course. I beat Namibia’s Jonas Junias in the final right after Charlie Flynn had won the gold in the flyweight division.
“It was an unbelievable feeling to stand on the podium and sing Flower Of Scotland – in Scotland! – with all my family and friends and the rest of the nation singing along with me and watching the flag being raised.
“Obviously, I’ve gone on to enjoy my time in the professional ranks, winning world titles and eventually unifying the 140lb division but I can honestly say that being presented with my medal that night at the SSE Hydro was the proudest moment of my career.
“I knew before the final that I would turn pro if I took the gold. It was the perfect way to bow out.”
One of the men in his corner at that tournament was Boxing Scotland’s joint director and national coach, Craig McEvoy, who was impressed by what he saw.
“The thing which struck me straight away was how focused he is while training – you could set a firework off next to him and he wouldn’t notice,” he said. Josh’s technical ability and his movement also stood out.
“He’s also one of the mentally toughest fighters I’ve ever come across. He’d picked up a hand injury at the 2012 Olympics and I recall working with him when he boxed a Frenchman not long afterwards. “Josh won the fight but his left hand would double in size after every bout, turning into a big balloon. He didn’t make a fuss about that, though: he would just stick it into a bucket of ice afterwards until the swelling went back down. That hand was his main weapon in the ring but he’d do that before every bout and sparring session for the next two years.”
Surgery eventually remedied that problem but McEvoy stresses that the qualities which allowed him to succeed globally were present from their first meeting a decade ago.
“Josh has a great boxing IQ,” he claimed. “He strikes like a cobra at close range and he almost always gets his tactics spot on.
“He was also a workaholic and there were times when you had to force him to ease off and give himself a rest but he was a joy to train, a Rolls Royce of a boxer.
“What he has done for the sport in this country is immense and, probably, under-appreciated by the media. He’s a good lad as well.”
Taylor enjoyed his first taste of the Games in India almost as much.
“Delhi was brilliant: I loved going all the way there and seeing a totally different culture – the music, the food and the lifestyle,” said the 31-year-old.
“It was just amazing, even though we weren’t allowed to go out; we had to stay in the village. However, on our days off from the boxing we managed to get out and see the locals and taste the food and, of all the lads in our team, I think I was the only one who didn’t come down with Delhi belly when we ate out.
“It was just a great experience, meeting different people from so many different countries. A lot of them are my friends to this day and I still keep in touch with them.
“When I reached the final and ended up with the silver medal I was gutted. I gave it my best shot but I was too inexperienced at that time.
“I fought England’s Tom Stalker, who is one of the best amateur fighters Britain has ever produced – one of the most successful ones, anyway – and I’d only been boxing for three-and-a-half years at that stage.
“Even so, when we met I was only edged out on points. I wasn’t outclassed or outfought but I lost out on the computer scoring and I was devastated at not taking the gold.
“From memory, he beat me 11-5 but the bout was a lot closer than that suggests. It was only when I got back home that I thought: ‘You did okay there’ and I wish I’d realised that earlier.
“The medal ceremony was held a couple of days later and I still hadn’t got over the defeat. I had tears in my eyes on the podium and I was still raging because he’d beaten me.”
Written by Ewing Grahame
Triathlete Beth Potter created a little piece of Team Scotland history when she competed in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games four years ago. The 30-year-old became the first of our athletes to participate across two sporting disciplines at the same Games, running in the 10,000 metres in athletics – after competing in the triathlon individual and team relay event in Queensland
Looking back, Scotland’s top triathlete admits she took on too much of a challenge Down Under. The focus for Birmingham 2022 is solely on the endurance multisport event – a combination of swimming, cycling and running – where she’s climbed into the world’s top 10.
With a nod to her toils on the Gold Coast, Potter said: “It was really cool to create a bit of Scottish history. I’d only been doing triathlon for a year then and it was a big ask. In hindsight, I should have stuck with just one of them as it was too difficult a task. But going into this Games I’m just focusing on triathlon and seeing how well I can do in that.
“It was a nice transition into a new sport by doing both at the last Games. However, the key was probably to focus on just one – and I’ll be doing that this year.
“It was all within four days last time. I had the individual triathlon, the triathlon relay and then the 10k, so it was a big ask. It was hard – and I won’t be doing it again.”
As she prepares for her third Commonwealth Games, she has her sights set on a podium finish. And little wonder. Having established herself has one of the best in the sport, she was crowned Arena Games Triathlon World Championship winner earlier this year.
She said: “I’m really hoping that I get on the podium. That’s an aim for me, definitely. I feel I’ve made big improvements this winter and I think I’m definitely capable of mixing it with the girls at the front. I just need to make sure I’m there, fit and healthy, and then who knows.
“It would be a bit surreal (to see the Saltire flying) but the biggest thing holding me back is my belief in myself. I just need to believe I can do it. Believe I’ve got a chance.”
Switching between specialist events has not been without its challenges, of course. Her quality as a runner was never in doubt but Potter has worked tremendously hard to master the cycling and swimming aspect of this gruelling athletic test.
Fortunately for the Glaswegian, she’s found a couple of better-than-decent training partners to help her make the transition since moving to Leeds. The Brownlee brothers.
Getting advice and guidance from Olympic champions Alistair and Jonny, two legends of the sport, has been instrumental in Potter’s development. She is certainly pushed to the limit in training – but has reaped the rewards from working with the superstar siblings.
She said: “I had to learn a whole new discipline and then get to grips with the racing on a bike in that discipline, which is obviously different in terms of tactics and energy saving – and I could only pick that up from racing.
“But I feel I’ve got the best team around me in Leeds, and I’ve got good people helping me get better, that’s been key to my fairly steep but steady progression. I’ve put the work in this winter across swimming and the bike, and hopefully I will reap the rewards this summer. It has been challenging but I’m now ranked top ten in the world and it’s definitely all been worth it, in the end.
“When I moved to Leeds, I actually moved in with Jonny, just because I didn’t know anyone, and he helped me initially. They were the reason I wanted to do it (triathlon) after watching them at London 2012.
“I train with them day in, day out and it’s really good to have their support and their input. They are an instrumental inspiration for me. They are my role models and who I look up to. Alistair has been great at helping me with the bike, in particular.
“I know what it takes to get there and it’s good to have their feedback about things I can improve on and where I’m going wrong or how I can get better.”
Just as she was inspired by the Brownlee boys, Potter knows that she’s putting herself in a position to motivate the next generation. As someone who left a career in teaching to concentrate full-time on sport, that’s important.
“I hope people do look up to me because I feel that what I has been quite brave, a bit out there and kind of unique,” she said, adding: “I hope that people are inspired by that. I train with a lot of younger girls and guys on the track and, not that I mother them, but I feel they look to me for advice. I feel I’ve still got a lot in my locker, although I’ve done a lot in my life.”
Having competed in the 5000 and 10,000 metres on home soil in Glasgow 2014, Potter is relishing the prospect of another major event in the United Kingdom. Not just because she’s been able to get a bit of time on the Birmingham 2022 triathlon course.
She said: “I’ve been quite fortunate in my career, on the track and triathlon, to compete in major comps in the UK. Things like London 2017 when I was in the World Championship team, Glasgow 2014 and the European Championships there a couple of years ago.
“It makes a massive difference, and we should definitely be using it to our advantage. I went down to Birmingham recently and rode round the course. Because why would I not take advantage of it being at home, seeing the course and knowing my bearings? I feel it’s important to do that and get more background knowledge.”
Article by Michael Baillie
Andrew McWatt has been called up to represent Team Scotland in Judo at the upcoming Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The news comes as Christopher Sherrington is sadly ruled out of competition. A gold medalist at Glasgow 2014, Chris was hoping to make his return to the Games but has sadly had to withdraw following double ACL surgery last year.
McWatt, of Garioch Judo Club, will compete in the in the Men’s +100kg weight category which will take place on Wednesday 3rd August at Coventry Arena. He said: “I am feeling very excited to be competing at my first Commonwealth Games. Always an honour to represent my country, especially at an event like this.
“After returning to competition from injury early this year, and in a new weight category, I’m glad I have the opportunity to compete for Team Scotland in Birmingham next week.”
Commenting on the news, Judith McCleary, JudoScotland CEO said, “We are pleased that Andrew will be joining Team Scotland at Birmingham 2022 for his first Commonwealth Games. Although we are disappointed that Chris will not be returning to the upcoming Games to try and retain his title, his well-being is the most important thing. We wish him a speedy recovery.”
There is the small matter of 106 caps. There has been a captaincy at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2019 Netball World Cup. Throw in the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2015 World Cup and there is a sharp picture of the experience Claire Maxwell brings to Birmingham. And yet this is all very new.
It is the first major tournament for Maxwell since becoming a mother. One-year-old Lucy is expected to be among the supporters who cheer on Scotland at the games with Maxwell revealing the on-court intensity that motherhood has heightened.
“I think perspective is a good word,” said Maxwell. “Lucy doesn’t care if I win or lose because she knows nothing other than me being there and being in the moment with her. I do look at things like that differently than what I would have a few years ago.
“But I also think that, when I am playing or training now, I am 100 per cent absolutely in the moment. It has made me really focus exclusively because every minute counts. I don’t have the flexibility that I had before having my daughter to get in another session or do some more work at night. I have to use the window I have to train or to play and to make sure that I give it everything I have. It has really helped me utilise the time that I have for netball so that it gets every part of my concentration.”
From the outside it would appear to have been a seamless transition from giving birth to returning to the court for Maxwell. However, what isn’t immediately apparent is the discipline and sheer hard graft that it took to get back to elite level sport while breastfeeding, coping with sleepless nights and appreciating the physical changes that childbirth brings.
“I was a bit naïve, I think,” said Maxwell. “I think people look at you and think that you look OK and you look yourself. But internally it is a different story. I was surprised at that and surprised at how I felt after giving birth. It was a long process.
“I had a back-to-back labour and then I breast fed for five months – and it is challenging. I would not change a thing about any of that because it gave me such a special and unique experience with my daughter and allowed me to spend so much time with her.
“She had silent reflux and sleep was a challenge for a few months. I am not sure I had appreciated before then how important sleep is! Touch wood she is far more settled now.
“But it really was much tougher than I thought. I was active all the way through my pregnancy and was still exercising at 40 weeks but I did find the post-partum period challenging. There have been a lot of ups and downs and a lot of juggling. But I am at a place where I am happy with my fitness. I had to look at my organisational skills and my time-management.
“I was lucky in that I was back playing 15 or 16 weeks after giving birth when I played in a friendly. I was able to get back to playing quite quickly but, when people look at you on court and think that you look fit and athletic, it doesn’t tell the whole story of how much work and effort it takes to get back to that level.
“I treated it like rehab. I didn’t carry a lot of weight throughout my pregnancy but you lose so much strength, especially from your core. I could not believe how different my body felt after giving birth. It was different even to how it felt when I was pregnant and exercising. I have always given everything on court and played on the edge and I have always put a lot of stock into physically being in the best shape to play. That muscle memory helped me, I think, but there is a lot of work and a lot of ups and down that people don’t see.”
Maxwell’s focus now is on is on pushing Scotland as far as they can go now. Currently ranked ninth in the world – eighth is the highest they have reached – Maxwell is intent on making sure the Commonwealth Games experience showcases the full extent of the talent within the Scotland squad.
Scotland open their games with a meeting against Australia, with Jamaica, South Africa, Wales and Barbados also alongside them in Group A. Teams receive two points for a win, one point for a draw and zero for a loss, with the top two teams in each pool qualifying for the semi-finals. As well as the gold/silver final and the bronze medal play-off, there are play-offs to determine each team’s final placing.
“We have a fantastic mix of youth and experience,” said Maxwell. “Right now we are ranked ninth the world and I think we would like to better than that – and I think we can be. It is quite a young squad but there are a few of us who have a lot of experience and I think that can help when it comes the intensity of the tournament and playing so many games.
“Some of us older members of the squad joke that the 2014 games were the best days of our lives – weddings and kids, apart! It was a home Games and it really was the pinnacle for many of us, such an exceptional experience to be part of. Hopefully we can make sure there are more big moments for us.
“There is a real camaraderie when you are away and everyone is focused on the same thing. If all goes well and there are no Covid situations then my husband and my parents will be down here with Lucy and that will be amazing, to have that support around me. I hope that we can give them plenty of encouragement with the performances that we put in and, as always, it is a joy to be here representing our country.”
Article by Alison McConnell
Gymnast Hamish Carter has travelled a bit in pursuit of a career in elite sport. So he’s thrilled at the prospect of competing in his home town for Team Scotland.
Born in Nottingham and raised in Birmingham, Carter qualifies for Scotland via a maternal grandfather from Hawick. A key member of the men’s squad who won bronze in the team event four years ago in Gold Coast, he sat down for a Q&A session with Michael Baillie.
Q: You were born in Nottingham and grew up in Birmingham but compete for Scotland, what was the process of you deciding to represent Scotland on the international stage?
A: “I was born in Nottingham and then moved to Birmingham when I was 13 for gymnastics. The whole family moved down, I changed schools and everything.
“It was a huge commitment from my parents but it worked out well for everyone. It came at a time when Angus, my little brother, was going into secondary school so he was going into a new school anyway.
“My mum Michele’s side of the family are from Hawick. So, I guess I was destined to compete for Scotland with the name Hamish.
“Before the last Commonwealth Games my mum was looking forward to seeing me in a kilt and I’m sure she is looking forward to seeing me in another one.
“I’ve still got the kilt from the last Games, although I’ve not worn it since one of the events after the Games at Stirling Castle. I thought it was cool wearing a kilt, I’d never done it before.
“Team England was really strong but I always wanted to represent Scotland. It was the best decision I made. I absolutely love competing for Scotland and just representing that flag is special for me, even though I have lived in England all my life. It definitely calls to me in some capacity.
“My mum’s side were all exceptionally happy to hear I was competing for Scotland at the 2018 Games.”
Q: Being from Birmingham, this is a home Games for you. How excited are you by that?
A: “The experience of having the Games in Australia was something and the Gold Coast was beautiful. But to have it right next to my house, to have my family and friends there and it being a true home Games, I’m really looking to it and it will be so special.
“Much like many of Team Scotland at Glasgow 2014, having the Games for me in the city where my entire life is, with my friends and family there, will be very special.
“I’ll have school friends coming to watch and that’s inspiring me. I can celebrate with them – and so many of them have done so much to support me.”
Q: How was your experience of the last Commonwealth Games, when you were part of the team who won the bronze medal, with you performing the floor routine which got them on the podium?
A: “That was definitely the pinnacle of my career, it was the biggest competition I’d done to date.
“Everything about it, I hadn’t experienced before, the pressure, it was a phenomenal competition. I loved the Athletes’ Village; it was really special to be part of it all.
“Paul Hall, who is now the GB national coach and was at that time the Team Scotland Coach, said “We need a 13.7 from you to get the bronze medal ahead of Cyprus …” prior to my floor routine.
“That added a bit of pressure but it was more of an incentive to compete better. I got a 14.275.
“Those are the moments you live for; I look back at those Games and there were a number of moments when I feel I developed and evolved as a gymnast because of the pressure. My first pommel routine on the first day of competing, the first time I raised my arm at the Commonwealth Games, it was immense. I hit that pommel routine really well.
“I thoroughly enjoyed it and was definitely a more accomplished gymnast after competing at those Games.”
Q: You narrowly missed out on a medal in the Men’s Individual Floor Exercise final, finishing fourth, how tough was that to take and what did you learn from it?
A: “That was unfortunate as I had a really good routine and I could have come away with the gold – but one small slip meant I finished fourth. I was still happy with that.
“I wouldn’t have had it any other way; first, second, third or fourth, it was the experience that counted for me, and I definitely gained a lot of that at those Games.”
Q: What are your hopes and aspirations for Birmingham 2022?
A: “My hopes and ambitions are to definitely defend the team medal, that’s our primary goal as Team Scotland, to get a medal, whatever colour.
“My all-around has become a lot stronger since the previous Games, so I hope to place. A podium finish would be amazing and I think I’ve got the potential to do that.
“I’d like to qualify for finals in my strongest events; parallel bars, high bar and floor.
“As much competing as I can is important to me and I’ll gain a lot of experience, there’s a lot of emphasis on the result. But I just want to go out and do my best gymnastics.”
Q: You have been in the United States at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign since 2018. How has competing in the NCAA enhanced your development and have you enjoyed life on the other side of the Atlantic?
A: “I’ve got one more semester left. I’m doing psychology and my specialisation in that is behavioural neuroscience.
“The US Olympic team all come from college gymnastics, so there’s a lineage of elite gymnasts that come from it and the depth of talent is much greater. So I’m competing in a field that’s much deeper than it is in the UK and, gymnastically, it’s been such a good thing for me to go to the US.
“I’ve loved it, I’ve made great friends, I’ve thrived in that team environment – and I feel my gymnastics has improved tenfold. I’ve learned so much from being in that team.
“I’m based about two hours south of Chicago and I haven’t been to any professional sporting event yet – but I really want to go and see the Chicago Cubs playing baseball and go to a Chicago Bears football game.
“But I’ve been to watch the University’s basketball team and that’s huge.”
Q: Who inspired you as a young gymnast and do you hope to inspire the next generation?
A: “I actually competed with Dan Purvis at the last Games and that’s a guy, when I was very young, I used to go to national squads and watch him train. Then, a number of years later, I’m on the same team as him and winning a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games.
“Not many gymnasts in the GB squad go over to America and compete in the NCAA and then return and maintain their position on the squad but, if I can show that’s possible, then other kids will do that too.
“It’s the same with the Games; inspiring people to compete is always important.”
Commonwealth Games Scotland has today announced that Garry Brown has been selected for Team Scotland in the para-lawn bowls team for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Garry, from South Lanarkshire, will compete in the Men’s B7/B8 Pairs alongside Kevin Wallace.
Brown replaces Garry Hood, who has been withdrawn from Team Scotland following a three-month ban by Bowls Scotland.
Garry Brown said, “I am delighted to be selected and it’s great to be part of Team Scotland having been part of Gold Coast. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in and trying my best and building on the experience of the Gold Coast and hopefully go a couple of stages further and bring home a medal.”
Commenting on the selection, Team Scotland’s Lawn Bowls Team Manager for Birmingham 2022, Billy Mellors, said: “We welcome the news that Garry Brown has been selected for Team Scotland at this summer’s Commonwealth Games and look forward to seeing him compete in Leamington Spa later this month.”
The Lawn Bowls event at the Commonwealth Games will get underway on the Leamington Spa greens on Friday 29th July 2022. For more information, please visit: https://www.birmingham2022.com/sports/lawn-bowls
When Matthew and Christopher Grimley first picked up a badminton racket at the grand old age of six, it seemed a long way to the international stage.
But, 16 years later, the pair are on the verge of joining an extremely select group; twins who have represented Team Scotland side-by-side at the Commonwealth Games. This moment has long been on the cards.
Before the brothers had even reached high school, they were being touted as two of the most exciting prospects in the country. From as young as nine years old, the tournament victories began clocking up. But it was their first international sojourn that gave them the idea they might genuinely be good at this sport.
“I remember we went to a tournament in Belgium, it was our first international event and our mum and dad said to us to not expect too much because we probably weren’t going to win a game,” said Chris. “And then we went and won it.”
“It was after that we started to think we might actually be pretty good. Because we’d just been playing in Scotland, it was hard to know if we were just good at home but, after doing that at our first international tournament, we started to think: ‘Actually, we might have something here.’”
The one challenge with being the best two young players in Scotland was that, at almost every tournament, the pair would face off against each other in the final of the boys’ singles, meaning one or the other was forced to cope with the disappointment of not only losing out, but being beaten by his twin.
It was not, they both admit, always the easiest of situations – but the fact they invariably had a doubles final to play together just minutes after the singles final concluded meant they didn’t have too long to dwell on the disappointment of a runners-up medal.
“When we played against each other when we were younger, we didn’t take losing well, one of us would always end up crying,” said Matt, with Chris adding: “It always changed who won, one of us wasn’t better than the other, it was just who was best on the day.
“The loser of the singles would have to snap out of their mood before the doubles but, in the car on the way home, there’d still be an atmosphere.”
At the age of 11, they joined Glasgow’s School of Sport, which is a school dedicated to combining training and academia. Even in these early years, the boys were highly competitive, with neither allowing the other to out-do them in training for fear of falling behind.
Their success continued through their junior years but as, they approached the senior ranks, they began to veer towards the idea of specialising in doubles. And the possibility of playing with anyone other than each other was, frankly, unfathomable to the pair.
There are, clearly, pros and cons of partnering someone who you know almost better than you know yourself but, for the Grimleys, the positives far outweigh the negatives.
“At one point, when we were about 15, there was some talk about splitting us up as doubles partners. Our coach wanted to try us with other partners to see how it went – but we weren’t very happy with that suggestion and so it ended up never happening,” revealed Matthew.
“I feel like we can say anything at all to each other. When we play mixed, we’re a bit nicer to our partners but, when we’re playing together, we know we can say anything and the other one isn’t going to react.
“We’re more likely to get snappy with each other in training; we never argue in a tournament because we know that if we do that, we won’t do well so it’s pointless.”
The Commonwealth Games has long been a target for the twins. They were in the crowd for countless badminton sessions at Glasgow 2014 and watching the action from Gold Coast as 18-year-olds four years later, they vowed to be in Birmingham this summer. Their international debut duly arrived and recent years have seen the pair travel regularly throughout European and to Asia for competitions.
Having been named part of Team Scotland’s nine-strong squad for Birmingham 2022 and having spent so many years striving to reach this level, they admit it’s quite a moment, realising they’re now on the verge of fulfilling their lifelong dream.
“I feel like this is what we’ve always wanted to do; we’ve always wanted to be professional badminton players,” said Matthew. “Even when we were really young, when people asked what we wanted to do when we grew up, we always said play badminton. Most people disbelieved it’d happen but here we are.”
Chris added: “Even before Gold Coast, Birmingham has been in our sights and when we get there, we feel like we can cause a few upsets.”
The Commonwealth Games, with the multi-sport environment and the hectic nature of being part of an event that brings thousands upon thousands of athletes together will, predict the Grimleys, take some getting used to.
But having each other and sharing a room together, as they usually do on trips away, means they will feel like their Games stay is something of a home away from home.
“We’re expecting the Games to be so different from the normal badminton tournaments. It’d be good to see some table tennis, and gymnastics and squash – it’s a pity that Usain Bolt isn’t around anymore, that’d have been pretty amazing to have seen him, but there’ll be a lot of other athletes that it’ll be pretty cool to see,” said Matt.
“Because we’ll be there together, it feels in some ways that we’re still at home,” added Chris, his brother interrupting to chip in: “We’re totally comfortable in complete silence, we can sit beside each other for an hour and not say and word and we’re both fine with that.
“I think when you spend as much time together as we do, you need to have a relationship like that.”
Article by Susan Egelstaff
Emma Love has been called up to the Team Scotland squad by Head Coach Tamsin Greenway ahead of the upcoming Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, after Lynsey Gallagher was sadly ruled out due to injury.
Fighting her way back from an ACL injury which ruled her out of her debut Sirens in 2020, Love has worked hard on her rehab to get herself ready for the call up. “It was a really long and hard recovery to try and build back my strength, I was finally cleared to run at the end of last year and I was able to quickly progress in to training and I am feeling stronger than before.”
Head coach Tamsin Greenway commented on the latest addition to her squad: “On the court Emma covers both WA and GA and is a really quick creative player, off the court she is happy to get stuck in and brings loads of energy to the group.”
Greenway added, “Emma was totally surprised but absolutely thrilled to be brought into the squad. She has been working hard behind the scenes coming into several prep camps. She joined us down in England for our final camp and put in impressive performances and totally deserved the opportunity.”
Love is now gearing up for the challenge ahead, and her first ever Commonwealth Games. “I’m absolutely over the moon to have been selected for the Commonwealth Games”, she added.
“This is always something I’ve aspired to since a young age, so to actually be going feels amazing. It’s been such a tough journey to come back from injury, so it really feels like all my hard work has paid off.”
“I had just been away with the girls for a weekend camp down in England. Tamsin gave me a ring pretty much right as I was arriving back home from the airport. She told me she’d like to take me to the Commonwealth Games and I was ecstatic!”
The squad leaving from the Emirates Arena this morning will arrive into the athlete village this afternoon.
Reflecting on the withdrawal of Lynsey Gallagher, Greenway said, “The whole squad has worked extremely hard over the past 6 weeks during prep camp and are a very close knit group. So of course we were absolutely gutted for Lynsey. Coming back in so soon after her knee operation was always going to be tough and it goes without saying how proud we are of
Lyns to push on and give it her all to try to get back in time. Sadly this time around it wasn’t meant to be and both Lynsey and the squad have handled it extremely well.”
With two previous Commonwealth Games under her name, Lynsey Gallagher is disappointed to not have the opportunity to represent Team Scotland this year, “Making the decision to withdraw from the commonwealth games squad was never going to be an easy one… I put absolutely everything into getting back to where I needed to be to get out there again, but unfortunately time just wasn’t on my side. I’m obviously gutted to miss out on the opportunity to pull on the dress & get out there with the girls in Birmingham, but in order to get back to where I need and want to be, I need a bit more time to get my knee strong again.
“I can’t thank the girls, Tamsin and the team behind the team enough for their constant support, especially over the past few months. The girls have been doing some amazing things in training and I really wish I could have been part of that at the games. But for now I’ll be working hard in the gym, pushing on with my rehab and supporting the girls & Team Scotland from home.”
Team Scotland kickstart their Commonwealth campaign on Saturday 30th July when they take on world ranked #1 Australia in their opening match at Resorts World Arena in Birmingham.
Life’s a beach when you are Scotland’s top volleyball pairing, right? Well, not when you consider the shifting sands of life in lockdown.
For months during the Covid crisis, the closest Lynne Beattie and Melissa Coutts got to proper training was going through strength and conditioning sessions in a local park.
Then came the phased return of sport. Which was a bit like normal training. Without opponents.
Even when they were allowed to share a court with someone on the other side of the net, meanwhile, they somehow had to observe a two-metre distance. While playing. Sounds like fun.
Such worries will seem a lifetime away when this Scottish pair sample the Commonwealth Games atmosphere for a second time in Birmingham this summer.
Four years ago in the Gold Coast, this event unfolded in the sun-kissed backdrop of Coolangatta beachfront, where one mistimed spike could send the ball out spinning towards the reef.
This time around, it will take place on a converted patch of concrete in Smithfield, central Birmingham – once the site of the city’s wholesale market.
It rains more days in this part of the world in July and August than it doesn’t. But when you practice on windswept Portobello beach, even the worst weather forecast is likely to prompt only one response: “Bring it on.”
“We practice at Portobello literally all the time so we are ready for anything,” said Beattie, 36, who captained the indoor Team GB Olympic squad at London 2012 – and also walked away with £11,000 as a Deal or no Deal contestant in 2014.
“In the rules the only things you stop for are thunder and lightning.“
Courts added: “I think if it is extreme wind, proper extreme, then they will stop it as well. But I can’t see it being like that in Birmingham – it will be quite sheltered.
“It could be literally anything, though – pouring rain, blazing sunshine or anything in between.”
The duo’s ticket to Birmingham was stamped with a second-place finish in last summer’s Eurozone Commonwealth qualifier on their home sands of Portobello.
But a last-minute decision to risk the worsening Covid conditions and compete in an FIVB event in Langkawi, Malaysia, in March 2020 might go down as the moment they really did the hard yards.
The world was an uncertain place back then. Some teams were either being advised not to travel. Others were being told to turn around and come back as soon as they got there.
But the Scots toughed it out and got their rewards in ranking points.
Coutts, now 51, admitted: “We were actually in Malaysia in March 2020 and we weren’t sure whether to go or not.
“In the end, we decided just to risk it – and we are glad that we did. Because it was literally the last one before everything shut down.”
Beattie added: “I think the day we got back Malaysia shut its borders.
“We did quite well and the points became quite crucial in our qualification so we were really quite pleased about that.”
When the qualification window closed on March 31, the Scottish pair had enough points to take their place in the draw for the groups in Birmingham.
But Scotland’s men – represented by Seain Cook and Robin Miedzybrodzki in the Gold Coast – weren’t quite so lucky.
The boys didn’t make the cut, meaning that Beattie and Coutts will fly the flag alone for Scotland in beach volleyball in Birmingham.
“I haven’t actually spoken to them personally yet but it’s a shame for us, too, that there isn’t going to be a men’s pair there to share the experience with us,” said Beattie.
“I think it’s a learning for the sport going forward, that the long-term approach and vision is all important.
“That’s the thing we learned from last time – that it is very much a four-year cycle.
“As soon as the last Commonwealth Games finished we were back on tour immediately because we knew how important it was to contribute to qualification the next time around.
“It has been a long process but this was obviously the end goal and we achieved it, so we are very excited.”
The level of professionalism this pair display is such that you might be surprised to learn that they also have day jobs to get on with.
Coutts works for City of Edinburgh Council in a management role in sport and outdoor learning.
Beattie started a new job in January as a partnership manager with funding body SportScotland.
But their existence revolves around volleyball – even if that means watching DVDs or YouTube footage of matches in a nearby coffee shop after practice sessions.
They are grateful to a small but crucial network of support staff for helping them get through it all. One of these is Beattie’s sister Karen, who doubles as the pair’s physio.
“One of them is in Australia, one in Belfast, one in Glasgow, and just having that group of people around us, plus the federation, the governing body, has made it all kind of possible,” explained Beattie.
As the games get closer, the focus is only narrowing. The duo spent time in May out in Florida, working with respected Brazilian coach Pri Piantadosi-Lima and getting valuable match practice.
So what is possible for this duo down in the Midlands? Well, four years ago it was a quarter-final loss to eventual winners Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes of Canada (sister to Scottish volleyball’s performance manager Felipe).
This was after progression from a group which also included a match up with home favourites Australia.
“From a performance point of view, the best moment was playing Australia in front of their crowd,” said Beattie. “It was one of the best atmospheres, under the lights.
“There’s always the draw element, with a bit of luck in there, depending what seed we go in as.
“But getting out of our pool would be a good result for us and something we are aiming to do. Then anything can happen.”
Article by Stewart Fisher