Amy Costello is optimistic that the hangover from a successful Team Scotland Commonwealth Games will a celebratory one rather than the lingering sense of disappointment that took six months to dissipate following last summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Then just 23, Costello was part of the Team GB who lifted bronze. But, having failed to get any game time, the defender struggled to appreciate the magnitude of the achievement in just making the Olympic squad.
Close friends and family, as well as a squad sports psychologist, helped her to see things in a different light. And it remains an experience, she insists, that should provide the cornerstone for a successful Games in Birmingham.
“It was a bittersweet experience,” she said of her time in Japan. “On the one hand I was so pleased to be in the squad, to be in the Olympic village. But it was a challenge not knowing if I would play. Being on the side lines, I was an avid supporter of the squad and my team-mates – and I was so pleased with their bronze. But it is always difficult not to feel, as an athlete, that you belong on pitch making a contribution rather than watching.
“Being 23 last summer and being able to be in that environment possibly now gives me an advantage over younger players coming in – know what it is like in the tension of that environment and how heightened emotions can be. The Games are the biggest thing that Team GB compete for, so it really was an eye-opening experience.
“But more than that, I think it has given me a real drive too. I want to be on the pitch, I have that motivation to go and step up. It took me some time to get there. For six months I think my confidence was not where it could have been – and a lot of the enjoyment I had for hockey had gone.
“And yet I am pretty sure that I am now a better hockey player for having gone through that. I think I have a better balance now between life and hockey and I also know that, if you need a bit of help, then it is a good thing to make sure you go and ask for it. There is no point in letting it go to such an extent that everything is a struggle.
“I had so much support around me in terms of my parents and friends – but the sports psychologist was also a great benefit in giving me tools that really helped me to redress the balance of the experience. It is always so easy to get carried away in what you are doing day-to-day and not realising what you are achieving, step back. Looking at the bigger picture, I am actually proud of where I am now.”
It will almost feel like 2014 in terms of a Home Games again for Costello, who returns to her old stomping ground in Birmingham. Fresh out of the city’s university with a Sports Science degree, the Halls of Residence could be home – again – this summer.
If there are positive memories in the Halls, there is also the echo of 2014 and a reminder of just how far Costello has come.
“I was 16 when Scotland hosted the Games. I was at school studying hard for my Int 2s and Nat 5s but I remember going along to watch Scotland v Australia in Glasgow. Australia went on to win the Gold and it was an incredibly special Games. I don’t think this will be too dissimilar.
“It was definitely inspirational for me as a teenager to watch that and think: ‘That could possibly be me, maybe, one day.’ I don’t think I thought too much about how it would come about. I was just getting into my Scotland age groups and I loved playing. It is only now, when you look back over your shoulder, that you do appreciate just where you are.”
Not that she has any intention of standing still.
Scotland’s women have an intense schedule as they play the first session of the tournament against South Africa. The following evening, they are up against reigning champions New Zealand. Further games follow against Kenya – playing at their first ever Commonwealth Games – before they conclude with a tantalising clash against four-times winners Australia.
“As a team, we are in a really good place,” said Costello. “I honestly believe that it is not beyond us to get out of the group and potentially challenge for a semi-final spot, which would be a first for us. It is very ambitious – but I also think that it is realistic. Anything can happen on the day.
“I want to enjoy it. There are challenges as a team, and there are challenges as an individual, and I would like to firmly embrace both. We will be playing against some of the top teams in the world and testing ourselves; that is something you must thrive on.”
“If there is something I have learned about being in tournaments like the Olympics and in the Gold Coast 1028 Commonwealth squad it is that, once you play a game if it doesn’t go well, you don’t let it linger. There is always the next game, so you park it and move on. I think that is so important in tournament hockey. Anything can happen so it is also important not to get too caught up in other results.
“We are a very close group too. I think that helps and we have been through various experiences before. I honestly think we are in a very exciting place as a team going into the Games and I think we all see this as a real opportunity.
“Defensively we know we are strong. I think, as the tournament goes deeper, we will want to be as clinical as possible as we really try to challenge the higher ranked teams, while limiting them as much as we possibly can. It is a big ask but it is one we are all incredibly excited about.”
Article by Alison McConnell
Micky Yule has overcome incredible adversity to compete in his third Commonwealth Games. But even he admits there is one opponent he cannot overcome.
On July 1, 2010, Yule – a staff sergeant with the Royal Engineers – stepped on an IED (improvised explosive device) in the Helmand Province while on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan. The detonation changed his life forever.
The 31-year-old lost both his legs, had his arms broken and his pelvis smashed. He was in a coma for ten days, spent eight weeks in hospital and the next two-and-a-half years in rehab. To not only recover from that but to go on and compete at the elite level in powerlifting is a remarkable achievement by the man from Wallyford.
Bad luck prevented him from being among the medals at his first two Games but he’s hoping that it will be third time lucky in Birmingham – after revealing that this will be his final appearance at the event.
“This will be my third and last Games,” he said. “I’ll be 44 in December and you get to an age where you can barely move out of bed. My elbows are gone, my pecs and shoulders are continually injured but you keep going.
“I’ve had a really bad run with the Commonwealth Games in terms of injuries. I participated in Glasgow in 2014 with a torn pectoral muscle and four years ago in Australia I was still recovering from a fractured femur so we’ll see what happens this time.
“I’d gone into both confident and in good form so I feel as though I’m cursed when it comes to the Commonwealth Games because I ended up finishing fourth in my two previous attempts, having to sit back and watch others take my medals with their final lifts of the competition.
“Even so, I’m optimistic that, if I can steer clear of injuries this year then I’ll be knocking on the door. I’m strong as an ox so, as long as I don’t pick up any little niggles between now and then, I should have a chance.
“Back in April I took part in a mini-tournament at Loughborough University and I matched my personal best – which I’d set five years earlier – by lifting 195lbs. That gave me plenty of encouragement and, if I can repeat that or even better it in Birmingham, I should be among the medals.
“You need a bit of luck to succeed and I’m just keeping my fingers crossed.”
Cursed or not, Micky is looking forward to competing in the Midlands.
“It should be amazing,” he said. “The Gold Coast in 2014 was too far away to expect people from the UK to travel to but my experience of Glasgow before that was fantastic, with the venues jam-packed with friends and family.
“I live just outside of Southampton now so it’ll be as easy for my old mates and relatives from Scotland to get there as it will be for me. The atmosphere will be incredible, I know that much.”
Yet he confesses that, through no fault of its residents, Birmingham is far from his favourite place.
“It takes a lot to get me to go back there,” he explained. “When I was injured, the hospital I was flown back to was in the city so I’ve always associated Birmingham with quite bad memories. I could do with changing that around come August.
“I’ve only ever gone there before to have work done so at least on this occasion I know I can visit without someone wanting to cut me open.”
Yule’s reluctance to return is perfectly understandable, given the amount of medical attention he received following his return from Afghanistan.
“I’ve had 75 operations, with most of them coming right at the start,” he said. “It got to the point where I had to say: ‘No more.’ Because the surgeons admitted that we’d reached the stage where going under the knife would make things a little bit better but going through the surgery was really affecting me.
“Consequently, I haven’t had an operation for about four years now, touch wood. There’s always something which can be done to help a little but you never get the chance to move on because you go into hospital then start your recovery and you’re back to where you started, really. I would only have surgery know if it was an emergency.”
Yule represented the Army in powerlifting tournaments during his 15 years of service, but he admits that he wouldn’t be involved at his current rarefied level as an able-bodied man.
“It was only after powerlifting was introduced at the London Olympics that I thought there might be a way forward for me,” he said. “I’d always been strong so I began finding out how I could become involved and what guidance I could receive and, after it was included in Glasgow in 2014, I was lucky enough to be paired with my coach, Neil Crosby, who still works with me now.
“But I never considered competing when I was in the Army: I only ever did it then to keep fit. I’d no aspirations to do anything else.”
The fact he has been able to not only compete but succeed in his chosen field has also helped Micky to recover from his traumatic past.
“When I train or compete it takes my mind off everything else,” he said. “It was my little bit of freedom and, when I was concentrating on lifting, I wasn’t thinking about Afghanistan or my injuries or anything else. It also helped because it made me push myself again.
“More than anything, I had targets and deadlines and a routine once again and I needed that routine. It also helped me get off painkillers because when you’re medicating through your injuries you can’t train. Now I’m back to trying to be the guy I was before.”
Yule also paid tribute to Prince Harry for doing more than most to help people like him by founding the Invictus Games in 2014.
“He’s had a lot of bad press recently but he created those games at a time when no-one was doing anything for severely injured, combat-injured former soldiers,” he claimed.
“As an ex-serviceman himself, he was in the public eye and he encouraged us all by doing that. He’s created a life-changing event and I’m not just saying that because I won a gold medal in 2016.”
Another in Birmingham would be more than welcome.
Article by Ewing Grahame
The first Team Scotland athletes have arrived in Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games, with men’s hockey the first to check-in.
In a Games first, the Birmingham 2022 Games is operating on a multi-site model, with villages in Birmingham, Warwick, NEC and London.
As the sun shone on the Birmingham, the Scottish hockey players settled into their University of Birmingham accommodation which features Team Scotland branding, gifts and a special Games welcome pack.
To welcome them to the Commonwealth Games, each athlete will receive a specially made white Team Scotland Nike tracksuit top, which features the team’s motto “clear heads, brave hearts” stitched into the inside of the jacket.
Alongside a National Lottery scatter cushion and saltire towel, athletes will also receive a good luck letter and drawing from local school children, as well as a bespoke gift made by local community groups, as part of 4600+ Gift project. All gifts are made from metal washers upcycled by wrapping, stitching and knotting yarn.
Speaking about the arrivals, Team Scotland Chef de Mission Elinor Middlemiss said, “After months of hard work and build-up it is great to see our athletes start to arrive in the villages across the Games sites.
“The villages are the heart of the Games and play an important part in preparing and supporting our athletes to perform at their best.
“We have 260 athletes on the team and the personal touches from the local community in particular ensure we make it as close to a home from home environment as we can.”
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is officially opened on 28th July, with competition starting on 29th July and running until 8th August.
Photo Gallery
Team Scotland has today announced the men’s hockey squad who will compete at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The 18-strong squad is captained by GB international Alan Forsyth, who heads to his fourth Commonwealth Games, with the selection coming after a strong performance by Scotland in a highly competitive Four-Nations tournament featuring Ireland, Wales, and the USA.
In Birmingham the Blue Sticks will face Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan in an exciting Pool A.
For Forsyth, who grew up in Paisley, captaining his country is a special moment, “It’s an absolute privilege to be selected. If you had asked me when I was 16 or 17 when I got my first cap, I wouldn’t have thought I’d make it to four Commonwealth Games, so it’s an absolute honour to pull on the jersey again.
“When I think back to the 2010 Commonwealth Games – I think I was 17 – I remember playing India in Delhi and it was an unreal moment standing there for the Indian national anthem in front of 16,000 singing home fans. For me, as I get older, it’s really important to sing the anthem and take all these things in, and I’m looking forward to that in Birmingham.
“It’s an honour to captain my country, especially at such a big event, but we’re lucky to have plenty of leaders in the team. It’s great to be captain but we have a good leadership group and the young ones coming through are leaders in their own right. I’m really excited for this squad going to Birmingham.”
Also heading to Birmingham this summer is Grange goalkeeper David Forrester, who was selected for the Gold Coast Games in 2018 but had to withdraw from the squad after picking up an injury.
Reflecting on the years since Gold Coast, Forrester explained, “I’m so happy to be selected, it’s the second time for me. Four years ago, when I missed out, I set myself the target of being there in four years’ time, so being selected for the Games has always been the light at the end of the tunnel, and a lot of effort is coming to fruition for me right now.”
Western Wildcats trio – Callum Duke, Rob Harwood, and Andy McConnell all make the line-up with Duke and Harwood also both playing for Scotland in Gold Coast in 2018.
Glaswegian Duke, said, “I’m so excited for the tournament, it’s such a privilege to be part of the team. There’s such great competition across the squad so I’m delighted to be selected.
“It’s a huge thing for Western Wildcats to have three players selected, more so for Rob and Andrew who grew up at the club, but all the Scotland players at the club trained together all year with this summer as a goal in mind. We’ve been going down early for training and all those sessions have contributed to the three of us being there.”
Birmingham will be a second Games for Duncan Riddell from Edinburgh who is excited for what is almost a home Games experience, “I’m incredibly proud, it was such a good feeling when I heard the news. I was incredibly nervous before but now I just can’t wait to get going for what’s close to a home Games, which will be so different from the last one. My family were incredibly proud when they heard the news, there were tears on the phone, so it’s a big moment.
“The Games are just down the road so I think we’ll have a big following, I know all my friends and family have started buying tickets. I can’t wait to be part of it.”
The prospect of a Games close to home has also excited Ed Greaves, who added, “It’s not far for our families to come and support, which is the big thing. I was injured for the last Commonwealth Games and I was extremely gutted to miss out. It feels like the four years of working hard to get back fit and staying at the top of my game has all paid off.”
Glasgow-born Hamburg-based youngster, Struan Walker, is also heading to his first Commonwealth Games fellow debutants and brothers Cammy and Jamie Golden, from Dundee. Walker said, “I’m buzzing, and my family are all ecstatic, it’s going to be a great experience. I’m looking forward to coming up against some of the best teams in the world and just enjoy the experience of testing myself on a stage like the Commonwealth Games.”
In another family tie Murray Collins has been selected after his sister, Robyn Collins, was selected for the women’s squad in June.
Commenting on the selection, Team Scotland Chef de Mission Elinor Middlemiss said, “I am really pleased for and congratulate all of the men’s hockey squad on their selection for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Receiving a Scotland cap at any time is special but to play at a “home” Games is a proud moment for any athlete. I wish the Blue Sticks and their coaching team every success and I look forward to watching them on the pitch at the University of Birmingham Hockey and Squash Centre.”
The hockey competition runs from 29 July to 8 August at the University of Birmingham Hockey and Squash Centre.
Immediately after Birmingham Scotland play in the men’s EuroHockey qualifiers, on 24-27 August, where the Scots take on Wales, Switzerland and Gibraltar for a place in the EuroHockey Championships.
Scotland men’s squad for Birmingham 2022:
Tommy Alexander (Der Club An Der Alster)
Michael Bremner (UHC Hamburg)
Andy Bull (Old Georgians HC)
Murray Collins (Teddington Hockey Club)
Callum Duke (Western Wildcats)
Rob Field (Holcombe)
Dave Forrester (Grange HC)
Alan Forsyth (HGC)
Cammy Golden (UHC Hamburg)
Jamie Golden (Surbiton Hockey Club)
Ed Greaves (Teddington HC)
Rob Harwood (Western Wildcats)
Callum Mackenzie (Wimbledon HC)
Andy McConnell (Western Wildcats)
Lee Morton (Old Georgians)
Duncan Riddell (Grange HC)
Robbie Shepherdson (Teddington HC)
Struan Walker (Club An Der Alster)
Commonwealth Games Scotland, in partnership with the Team Scotland Youth Trust and sportscotland, is delighted to announce our group of mentors for the 2022 Achieve Programme.
The Achieve Programme enables young athletes and coaches from a range of sports to gain critical knowledge and experience of a multi-sport environment.
First run in 2010, when 45 young athletes and coaches travelled to the Dehli Commonwealth Games, Achieve has since seen a further 90 participants go through the programme. Many have since made the step-up to compete or coach for Team Scotland at a Commonwealth Games.
Returning for the Birmingham Games, Achieve 2022 will aim to propel more future stars onto sporting success, while also helping them develop a host of vital and transferrable life skills.
The programme is led by Achieve Director Kevin Moran, who participated in Achieve 2010 before representing Team Scotland in Squash at Glasgow 2014 and Gold Coast 2018.
He is supported by Lead Mentor Kieran Achara MBE, part of Scotland’s 2018 Basketball side and a former GB Basketball captain, Olympian and most-capped player.
A further 12 mentors have been appointed, with an impressive range of backgrounds and experiences to call on:
Ailsa Wylie – a sportscoltand Lead Manager for School & Community Sport, who competed for Team Scotland at Hockey in 2010 and 2014.
Bob Easson – Achieve Mentor 2010, Team Scotland Rugby Sevens Assistant Coach in 2006 and Boxing Team Manager in 2014.
Cameron Brodie – Performance Lifestyle Advisor at sportscotland Institute of Sport. Competed for Team Scotland in Swimming in 2010 and 2014, being part of the silver-medal winning relay teams at both.
Ciaran O’Brien – Head of Sport, University West of Scotland. Former Swimming Coach at sportscotland Institute of Sport and coached at four World University Games.
Emma Brunning – Coach and Mentor. Contractor for British and World Triathlon, Premier League and UK Coaching.
Gillian Sanders – UK-based lawyer, represented South Africa in Triathlon at two Commownealth Games and three Olympic Games.
Jay Runga – Mentor Developer, Scottish Gymnastics. Young Athlete Coach mentor, Scottish Disability Sports.
Jenny Davis – Business Improvement Consultant, former British and Scottish cyclist and Judo international. Competed for Team Scotland in Cycling in 2010 (winning silver) and 2014.
Kaz Cuthbert – Physiotherapist, represented Team Scotland in Hockey in 2010 and as captain in 2018.
Megan Richardson – Sport & Active Health Coordinator, Scottish Student Sport. Former Scottish National Badminton Squad player and leader with Youth Sport Trust.
Ross Walker – University of Edinburgh Academy of Sport, British Council. Competition Manager for the Homeless World Cup Foundation’s inaugural Four Nations Cup. Former Scottish international Basketball player, PhD student and tutor, University of Edinburgh.
Seonaid McIntosh – Represented Team Scotland at Shooting in 2014 and 2018, winning a bronze medal in the latter. World and European Champion and Olympian.
For more information please email info@teamscotland.scot.
It’s 80 days to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, but before then Scotland will be hosting the Queen’s Baton Relay!
The Queen’s Baton Relay first took place in 1958 at the Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, and this year’s Relay will mark its 16th year. It is a tradition that celebrates, connects, and excites communities from across the Commonwealth in the build up to the Games.
Since its launch at Buckingham Palace on the 7th October the Baton has visited over half of the 72 nations and territories of the Commonwealth, with events and activities staged to showcase untold stories and projects that address some of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
We are now concluding our final preparations for our five-day hosting of the Baton, with visits planned to sporting clubs, schools and other notable landmarks across the country, including locations not previously visited in previous years. You will be able to follow the activity across Team Scotland social channels.
The Scotland leg starts on Saturday 18th June in Inverness, travelling down the Caledonian Way before visiting Arran on Day Two. The Baton will then travel through Ayrshire and Glasgow on Day Three and Edinburgh on Day Four, before finishing in the Borders and Dumfries on Day Five.
The Baton will then visit Northern Ireland and Wales before England, with the host nation conducting a 25-day programme covering the length and breadth of the country. The journey will conclude at the Birmingham 2022 Opening Ceremony at Alexander Stadium.
For more information on the Queen’s Baton Relay please visit the Birmingham 2022 website. For further detail on Scottish QBR activity email colin.millar@teamscotland.scot.
Commonwealth Games Scotland has today announced that Paralympic silver medallist Alison Peasgood has secured her place in Paratriathlon, at this summer’s Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Visually impaired (less than 10% vision) Alison races with a guide athlete, who she is tethered to during the swim and run, and cycles with on tandem bike.
A former world and four-time European champion, Alison first took up the sport in 2013, having transitioned from athletics. She won a stunning silver in the PT5 event on her Paralympic debut at Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, alongside guide Hazel Smith and narrowly missed out on a medal at last year’s Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games finishing in fourth place along with her guide Nikki Bartlett.
Alison – who was born in Kirkcaldy and lived in Ayr – has taken a break from her physiotherapy career to train full-time and is based at the University of Stirling Triathlon Performance Centre. She has been a member of the World Class National Lottery-funded British Paratriathlon squad since 2014.
Speaking about her selection, Alison said “I’m excited to represent Scotland as it’s so rare to get that opportunity and it is fantastic that Paratriathlon will once again be on a big stage and will reach a much wider audience.
“My training has been really consistent over the winter; I’ve been working with a new coach and have a more stable guide support which has made training easier. I am excited to put it all together this race season.
“The crowds in Leeds last year at the Para World Series was beyond anything I’ve experienced, outside of Rio 2016. I fully expect Birmingham to be as good, if not better. I studied at University of Birmingham so it will feel like a home race with lots of friends and family able to come watch. I can’t wait!”
Team Scotland Chef de Mission, Elinor Middlemiss said, “I am delighted for Alison that she has been selected to represent Scotland at Birmingham 2022 and make her Commonwealth Games debut. Alison brings a huge wealth of competition experience to the team and I am looking forward to seeing her compete this summer.”
The athlete who will guide Alison will be selected and confirmed in the lead up to the Games with two athletes in contention, Brooke Gilles and Hazel Macleod.
The Paratriathlon (for athletes with a visual impairment – PTVI) events will take place within the beautiful surroundings of Sutton Park, a 2,400 acre National Nature Reserve located 6 miles north of the city centre. It’s one of the largest urban parks in Europe.
Team Scotland will field a strong table tennis line-up this summer with Lucy Elliot, Rebecca Plaistow, Colin Dalgleish and Gavin Rumgay securing their places at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
16-time Scottish champion Gavin Rumgay, will take part in his fifth Commonwealth Games having competed in Manchester 2002, Delhi 2010, Glasgow 2014 and Gold Coast 2018. Now based in London, Gavin is excited to be competing in the Scotland shirt again, “I will give it everything for Team Scotland, this summer at my fifth Games.
“I am a fierce competitor when I am up and firing, serving well and being inventive. Having won 16 national men’s championships and 26 Grand Prix titles, I know how to win and that’s important when you take on some of the world’s best players at the Games. I can’t wait to be there!”
Lining up alongside Gavin is Livingston’s Colin Dalgleish, who made his Commonwealth Games debut at Gold Coast 2018 competing in the men’s singles and the men’s team event where he helped achieve a 9th place finish.
Colin secured his first Scottish national title in 2020 and represented Great Britain at the World University Games in Taipai in 2017 and in Naples in 2019. He is currently Scotland’s second ranked player after a strong performance at the recent Scottish Championships.
Colin said, “I’m absolutely delighted to be representing Scotland at my second Commonwealth Games. Over the next few months I’ll be working even harder to be in the best shape possible for Birmingham. I can’t wait for the Games to begin and be part of Team Scotland again!”
Fresh from European Team Championship qualifiers in Sarajevo, Lucy Elliott and Rebecca Plaistow will make their Commonwealth Games debuts this summer having narrowly missed out in selections for Gold Coast in 2018.
Plaistow – who currently tops Scotland’s rankings – recently moved to Newcastle-upon-Tyne to work as a nutritionist in the NHS. Reacting to the news she had secured her place on Team Scotland she said, “I’m really, really happy with selection. It is probably one of the biggest events I will play in my career, so I am really pleased to be selected. I’m really looking forward to the experience and the different types of players I will get to play.”
Elliot, who plays for Drumchapel Table Tennis club in Glasgow is looking forward to competing this summer, “It means everything to get this selection. The women’s team didn’t qualify in 2018, so to get a couple of us into the singles and doubles in Birmingham, that’s just amazing.
“In 2014, I was part of the Achieve programme so I got a wee bit of an insight then, but it’s not quite the same as doing it for real. Now it’s just heads down and train hard so we can go in feeling our best and doing the best we can. It’s going to be a great experience for sure.”
Commonwealth Games Scotland is also pleased to announce that Gordon Muir has been appointed as Table Tennis coach and will also cover Team Manager duties in Birmingham. Gordon has been coaching for over 10 years and has a wealth of international experience, most recently coaching Scotland’s men at the European Team Championships in Cyprus.
Team Scotland Chef de Mission, Elinor Middlemiss said “I am thrilled that Gavin, Colin, Lucy and Rebecca have secured their place at Birmingham 2022. It is great to see a mix of experience in the team, with Gavin competing in his fifth Games and Colin his second, whilst Lucy and Rebecca make their debuts.
“We also welcome Gordon Muir to the team who I am sure will play a crucial role in bringing this team together on the world stage.
“I have no doubt that everyone in Scotland will get behind them and cheer them on to success this summer.”
Table Tennis will take place at the NEC Arena in Birmingham between 29th July and 8th August 2022, with two sessions a day.
Commonwealth Games Scotland has today announced that Olympian Steph Davis has secured a women’s marathon place at this summer’s Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The Commonwealth Games debutant is relatively new to marathon running, with the London-based athlete – who previously represented VP-Glasgow in track and field as a youngster and ran cross country for Edinburgh University Hare and Hounds – landing her Team GB debut at Tokyo 2020 after an impressive win in the trials.
After only three years after her first marathon, Steph – who is originally from Bearsden in Glasgow and is coached by Tim George – finished an impressive 39th out of a field of 80 in a stifling hot Sapporo in a time of 2:36.33.
Commenting on her selection and securing her first senior Scotland vest, Steph said, “I am delighted to be selected for the Commonwealth Games but also for my first outing for Team Scotland.
“My last major marathon was at the Olympic Games in Japan last year, which was an incredible experience. But due to Covid we had to travel solo, so I am excited that my next major competition will be closer to home so my family and friends can watch roadside and soak it all in with me.
“I have been training at home for the last couple of months and I’m really looking forward to building the volume and intensity over the next 14 weeks with my new coach Tim George.”
Team Scotland Chef de Mission, Elinor Middlemiss said, “I am delighted for Steph that she has been selected to represent Scotland at Birmingham 2022. Steph had a really good run in Tokyo under tough conditions and I am looking forward to seeing her compete on the road this summer.”
The women’s marathon will take place on Saturday 30th July and will start in Smithfield – also the venue for the Birmingham 2022 beach volleyball, basketball 3×3 and wheelchair basketball 3×3 competitions. Runners will first complete two 18km loops before heading south out of the city towards Bournville. This is followed by a 6.2km section through the city centre, which finishes in Victoria Square, the location for the Town Hall and the Council House.
The Scottish women’s beach volleyball team has secured qualification for this summer’s Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, as one of the 12-strong line-up announced by the Commonwealth Games Federation today.
Scotland’s women secured their spot after a brilliant second-place finish in last summer’s Eurozone Commonwealth Games qualifier, which was hosted by Scottish Volleyball at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh.
The Scottish pairing faced a tough Cypriot team in the final, who gained automatic qualification through world ranking points, but the second place finish was enough to grant the Scots back-to-back Games qualification.
Scottish Volleyball’s High Performance Beach Coach and Programme Manager, Felipe Humana- Paredes, said “I could not be more excited that the women’s team have qualified for Birmingham 2022.
“With the Games so close to home this year, it will be a great opportunity to show off our sport and inspire the next generation to get on the sand.”
Team Scotland Chef de Mission, Elinor Middlemiss said “I am delighted for the players, coaching staff and Scottish Volleyball that the qualification for Birmingham 2022 has been secured.
“It is set to be a fantastic competition, at a stunning venue in the middle of Birmingham. I have no doubt that the Scottish public will get behind the girls both at home and in Birmingham.”
Margaret Ann Fleming MBE, Chief Executive Officer of Scottish Volleyball said, “Everyone at Scottish Volleyball is thrilled with the qualification of the women’s team for this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
“The beach game has been on a meteoric rise in Scotland since its inclusion in the Gold Coast games four years ago and we are already planning for a trip back to Australia for the Victoria games in four years’ time.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Commonwealth Games Scotland, the Scottish Volleyball Board, staff, partners, sponsors and of course our athletes who continue in their hard work, determination, and commitment in making beach volleyball bigger, better and stronger.”
The beach volleyball competition runs from 30 July to 8 August and will be held at the former Smithfield Market at a temporary Games venue in the heart of Birmingham city centre.
See the full line-up of qualified teams in both men’s and women’s events on the CGF website: Beach volleyball line-up confirmed for Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games | Commonwealth Games Federation (thecgf.com)