Olympic hero Michael Jamieson calls to save the Glasgow School of Sport

Olympic silver medallist Michael Jamieson says he would not have made it to the top without the Glasgow School of Sport (GSOS) – and he is warning that scrapping it could crush future generations of young athletes.

The school, based at Bellahouston Academy, has been a breeding ground for sporting talent since 1998, giving pupils top-level coaching alongside their education.

But with financial pressures mounting, Glasgow City Council is set to decide today whether to close it and replace it with a bursary scheme.

'It was the foundation of my career'

Jamieson, who won silver in the 200m breaststroke at the London 2012 Olympics, says GSOS was life-changing.

He told Clyde 1: "I was super lucky.

"I spent my whole high school experience at the school. Starting coincided with the Sydney Olympics that were on at the time - so I remember pretty vividly deciding that sport was a career that I wanted to pursue.

"I lucky to get into the school and I think it gave me and everyone else who was attending an insight into all the other elements of sports performance.

"We were exposed to strength and conditioning, sports nutrition, sports psychology, generally getting a lot of support to balance academics with sporting commitments.

"I was out the door for morning training before 5am, I wasn't home until 8pm for training after school, sometimes during the school day as well.

"It was the foundation of my swimming career."

'I was lucky to live my dream lifestyle'

Born in Glasgow in 1988, Jamieson originally wanted to be a footballer but switched to swimming at 13.

His years at GSOS gave him the platform to rise through the ranks, eventually winning medals at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and European Championships.

Since retiring, he has stayed in the sport as a coach, helping the next generation.

Now, he fears shutting down GSOS would deny young athletes the same opportunities he had.

He said: "I was unbelievably lucky to get to live my dream lifestyle.

"I wanted to travel and compete and I'm so grateful for the school.

"I'm sure there are thousands of other children out there who have similar dreams, and we need facilities to support that.

"It is partly responsibly for my success - I wouldn't have had the experience if I wasn't at the school."

'National funding for sport has improved'

The school is due to close in June 2026, just weeks before the city hosts the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

A spokesperson for Glasgow Life said: “The current School of Sport model was introduced more than 25 years ago and was designed to meet the needs of pupils from across Scotland at the time.

"Since then, national funding for governing bodies of sport has improved the support they offer prospective athletes considerably, offering multiple pathways to elite sports competition.

"In considering whether Glasgow School of Sport offers the appropriate model in the wider national context, we have also proposed a new way to support young athletes from Glasgow to achieve their full potential.”

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