Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) today announced the next 29 athletes selected to represent Team Scotland at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games this summer. Artistic Gymnastics, Judo, Weightlifting and Powerlifting athletes have been confirmed, following their nomination by the respective Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport and subsequent ratification by the CGS selection panel.

The group contains 22 Games debutants, three Commonwealth Games medallists, six former Youth Games athletes and three athletes who will compete in their home city.

A full squad of ten gymnasts (five men, five women) will compete for Team Scotland at the SSE Hydro, including London 2012 Bronze medallist Dan Purvis, who is one of six gymnasts making their Commonwealth Games debut. Three gymnasts will make the next step up to the senior ranks, having represented Youth Team Scotland at the 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games in the Isle of Man.

Winner of Team Scotland’s last Commonwealth Games medal in Gymnastics – High Bar Bronze in Melbourne 2006 – Adam Cox returns to the team along with Daniel Keatings, Amy Regan and Emma White. Frank Baines and Erin McLachlan join Purvis amongst the Games debutants, while Liam Davie, Cara Kennedy and Carly Smith will make the step up to the senior Games.

Judo returns to the Commonwealth Games for the first time since the 2002 Games in Manchester where Scottish athletes collected 10 medals and was Scotland’s most successful sport. Amongst those medallists were Graeme Randall (Gold), and David Somerville (Silver), who will act as Team Manager and Head Coach for the 14 athletes (7 men and 7 women) selected to represent Scotland at the SECC in July and they will undoubtedly be able to share their vast experience.

Sarah Clark (a Silver medallist in Manchester) and John Buchanan are the only judoka to have already competed for Team Scotland, and will make their second Commonwealth Games appearance some 12 years on, along with their 12 team-mates making their Games debut. Clark is one of five Olympians in the team alongside Euan Burton, James Austin, Chris Sherrington and Sally Conway.

Weightlifter Peter Kirkbride provided one of the highlights of Delhi 2010 with his Silver medal winning lift in the under-94kg competition, and will be looking to go one better in Glasgow. Peter is joined in the squad by three female athletes making their Commonwealth Games debut. Team Scotland will also make its first appearance in the Para-Sport Powerlifting competition with Michael ‘Micky’ Yule featuring in the Men’s Heavyweight competition.

Making the announcement Team Scotland Chef de Mission, Jon Doig said: “With less than two months to go until the Games, we are delighted to welcome a further 29 athletes into Team Scotland from Gymnastics, Judo, Weightlifting and Para-Sport Powerlifting. Judo was our most successful sport when it was last included in a Games programme and we have a strong line-up once again. We also have a good pedigree in Artistic Gymnastics and Weightlifting with athletes who have won medals at previous Olympic and Commonwealth Games. The SECC Precinct will be one of the busiest venue clusters come Games time and the athletes we have announced today will most certainly be at the heart of the action.”

Tracy Rea, Scottish Gymnastics Head of Performance said, “I am delighted to congratulate each of the Men’s and Women’s artistic gymnasts selected today. Their selection to represent Team Scotland is a result of total commitment over a number of years and I commend both the gymnasts and their personal coaches who have worked tirelessly to achieve this success.”

David Somerville, Judo Scotland National High Performance Coach said: “We went through a very thorough process to get to today and could not be happier with the team we’ve selected. When judo has been included in the Commonwealth Games Scotland has produced strong performances and the athletes selected are a determined and focused group. We believe that the team contains an accomplished balance of experience and youth with realistic opportunities for medal success.”

Weightlifting Scotland Secretary, Colin Hannah said: “Weightlifting Scotland is proud of the athletes selected today to represent Team Scotland at the Glasgow Games, and we congratulate them all for making the final squad. Their hard work and dedication over the qualification period has been second to none and a place in the team recognises the commitment made by both athletes and their coaches. The Clyde Auditorium is a fantastic arena, and we will look forward to seeing our athletes compete there with pride and distinction.”

Shona Robison, Cabinet Secretary for Commonwealth Games and Sport, said: “These athletes will make a fantastic contribution to Team Scotland. All the athletes and their support teams should be very proud as they are set to be part of the greatest Commonwealth Games ever. While they may be competing in different disciplines, stepping out in front of a home crowd as part of Team Scotland will be the same incredible experience.”

Also welcoming the selections, Louise Martin CBE, chair of sportscotland said: “I am delighted to see a further 29 athletes join Team Scotland and I congratulate each of them on their hard-won selection. We have a particularly good record in gymnastics, judo and weightlifting and I am confident the athletes selected today will build on those previous successes.

“One of the main reasons we are able to prepare world-class athletes is because of the high performance support services provided by sportscotland. World-class experts, working with world-class athletes, give the country every reason to be excited about our prospects at what promises to be the best ever Games.”

This brings the total Team Scotland numbers selected so far to 178, with an anticipated final team in the region of 270 athletes.

SELECTED ATHLETES

ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS (10):

NAME BORN/LIVES

Frank Baines Liverpool/Crosby

Adam Cox Edinburgh/Livingston

Liam Davie Bellshill/Carnbroe

Daniel Keatings Kettering/Corby

Daniel Purvis Liverpool/Crosby

Cara Kennedy Paisley/Paisley

Erin McLachlan Huddersfield/Huddersfield

Amy Regan Glasgow/Glasgow

Carly Smith Glasgow/Glasgow

Emma White Dunfermline/Birmingham

JUDO (14):

James Austin Burton-Upon-Trent/Edinburgh

John Buchanan Edinburgh/Broxburn

Andrew Burns Glasgow/Edinburgh

Euan Burton Ascot/Edinburgh

Patrick Dawson Edinburgh/Edinburgh

Matthew Purssey Chertsey/Edinburgh

Chris Sherrington Ormskirk/Broxburn

Sarah Adlington Shrewsbury/Edinburgh

Sally Conway Bristol/Edinburgh

Sarah Clark South Shields/Edinburgh

Stephanie Inglis Inverness/Edinburgh

Connie Ramsay Inverness/Edinburgh

Kimberley Renicks Bellshill/Coatbridge

Louise Renicks Coatbridge/Coatbridge

WEIGHTLIFTING (4):

Peter Kirkbride Irvine/Kilmarnock

Georgina Black Irvine/Kilmarnock

Louise Mather Alexandria/Glasgow

Sophie Smyth Irvine/Kilmarnock

PARA-SPORT POWERLIFTING (1):

Michael Yule Edinburgh/Lincoln