In the Sport Focus spotlight this week is Hockey, with Scotland set to send both women’s and men’s teams to Gold Coast 2018. All the action from the pool stages will be on show at the Gold Coast Hockey Centre from  5-11 April 2018, with semi-finals and medal matches from 12-14 April.

Our Sport Focus Series features each of the 18 sports on the Gold Coast 2018 programme through athlete interviews, facts & figures, competition news and more.

Hockey at the Commonwealth Games

Hockey made its Commonwealth Games debut at Kuala Lumpur 1998 where Scotland fielded a women’s team, just missing out on a semi-final place to India on goal difference. The women’s side have taken the field at every Games since, with their best result a 5th place at Melbourne 2006. Scotland’s men made their debut at Melbourne 2006 and have contested every Games since, 7th place their best finish to date.

Australia have been dominant with their men’s team winning gold at every Games to date and their women’s team taking the title on all but one occasion.

Find out more about Hockey in the Commonwealth Games, including the competition format, rules and equipment on our dedicated Hockey page.

Team Scotland 2018

Team Scotland will take to the field in both the Men’s and Women’s competition at Gold Coast 2018, having been confirmed among the 10 teams awarded a place in each event. Both sides will be in action on  the first day of competition (5 April) and after a successful recent test series against Wales, the women’s side will be looking to build on 6th place at Glasgow 2014. Scotland’s men took an outstanding victory in the 2017 EuroHockey Challenge II and go into Gold Coast 2018 set on bettering their 8th place finish of four years ago.

A total of 118 athletes have been named to Team Scotland for Gold Coast 2018 to date, with athletes announced in Athletics, Basketball, Boxing, Lawn Bowls, Shooting, Squash, Swimming, Table Tennis, Triathlon and Weightlifting.

Further selections, including the final selection of Hockey players, will take place in February 2018.

Show Your Support!

You can show your support by uploading photos and messages on our supporters page and give Team Scotland’s athletes a boost as they prepare to do the country proud on one of sport’s biggest stages!

Look out for other ways to get behind the team in the countdown to Gold Coast on Team Scotland’s social media channels.

Scotland at the Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games is the only occasion where Scotland gets to compete in a multi-sport event as a nation in its own right and is one of only six countries to have competed in every Commonwealth Games since their inception in Hamilton in 1930. Represented by 15 athletes participating in six sports at those first Games, winning a very creditable 10 medals, Scotland have gone on to win medals at every Games since.

Edinburgh became the first city to hold the Games twice in 1970 and 1986 and also became the first city to host the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Scotland hosted the Games for a third time when Glasgow welcomed athletes and officials to the XXth Commonwealth Games which was held from 23rd July – 3rd August 2014. Team Scotland celebrated their most successful Games in history, winning a total of 53 medals.

Find out more about the Commonwealth Games and Team Scotland’s past success in our Past Games section.