Team Scotland’s ambitions in the pool are off to a flying start with the nation’s most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete of all-time, Duncan Scott, named today as the first swimmer selected for Glasgow 2026.
Six medals at Birmingham 2022, with gold in 200m Freestyle and 200m Individual Medley, took his overall tally to an impressive 13 across three Games, a feat unmatched by any Scottish athlete in history.
Four medals at Tokyo 2020 saw him become Team GB’s most decorated athlete at a single Olympic Games and in Paris last year he surpassed Sir Chris Hoy as Scotland’s most decorated Olympian. He’s also Team GB’s most decorated swimmer, five times a World Champion, and the accolades go on.
Next summer he’ll be back in Tollcross International Swimming Pool where, as a fresh-faced 17-year-old, he took home the first of those 13 Commonwealth medals at Glasgow 2014: a silver from the 4x200m Freestyle Relay. Twelve years on he returns, no longer a talented teenager, but as a household name, and an official Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games Ambassador.
Duncan Scott said: “To think my first-ever Commonwealth Games was in 2014 and for the Games to be Glasgow for 2026 is pretty special. The momentum is really starting to build and the Games are coming round fast.
“I have fond memories of 2014; the way the country got behind all the athletes, and how Team Scotland responded to that in terms of success.
“The Scottish fans always bring something different, and with the Commonwealth Games coming back to Glasgow next year, hopefully they will bring the excitement once again.”
Elinor Middlemiss, Team Scotland Chef de Mission, said: “We are delighted to welcome Duncan back to the team for Glasgow 2026.
“Duncan’s successes with both Team Scotland and Team GB have been truly inspirational and we look forward to the next chapter in Glasgow next summer, the city where he won his very first medal with Team Scotland.
“Athletes of the calibre of Duncan and the three Athletics team members named so far are spearheading our selections at this early stage from what is already shaping up to be a strong team.”
Duncan’s selection comes on the back of meeting the Phase 1 selection requirements set out in the selection policy and following nomination from Scottish Swimming and subsequent ratification by Commonwealth Games Scotland.
Athletes from across all 10 sports and six para-sports featured at Glasgow 2026 will be selected in the coming months as Team Scotland prepares for an exciting home Commonwealth Games.
The Scottish team for the Commonwealth Youth Games– to be announced on 21 August at University of Stirling – will comprise over 40 athletes from nine sports (athletics, badminton, boxing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling) together with a number of support staff.
The main purpose of the Commonwealth Youth Games is to give our up and coming young athletes a taste of international competition in a multi-sport Games environment. Having this experience should help them maximise their performance when they hopefully go on to qualify for the main Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010 and Glasgow 2014.
As part of its programme of support to Scotland’s Commonwealth Youth Games Team 2008, Clydesdale Bank is running an Athlete of the Month competition in conjunction with Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) and the nine participating governing bodies of sport.
Each month between April and August, Sport Team Managers are asked to nominate an athlete from their sport who has demonstrated good performances at competitions in the build up to Pune. A CGS judging panel will select a winner along with a second and third placed athlete . The athletes will be given an athlete award from Clydesdale Bank of £300, £200 and £100 respectively and the winner’s club will also receive £100.
In late October, following the Games, the judging panel will consider performances at the Games themselves to select a Clydesdale Bank Athlete of the Games and two runners-up. A further award of £500 and £250 respectively will be awarded with £100 going to the winners club.