35 more athletes will fly flag for Team Scotland in Gold Coast
Last updated 30th Nov 2017
St Andrew’s Day was a fitting occasion to announce the next 35 Scots, proud to be flying the flag for Team Scotland at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.
The list includes six past medalists and 21 debutantes from the sports of Boxing, Para- Bowls, Shooting, Triathlon and Weightlifting and now join those previously selected in Swimming, Lawn Bowls and Squash.
Boxing name a nine-strong team with Vicky Glover becoming the first Scottish woman to be selected for a Commonwealth Games in the sport.
British champion last year, she has recently returned from the World Youth Championships in India where she missed out on a medal only by split decision.
Bronze medalist at Glasgow 2014, Reece McFadden returns to Team Scotland once again and is joined by fellow 2014 representatives Aqeel Ahmed and Scott Forrest. Samoa 2015 Youth Games gold medalist, John Docherty makes the step up into the senior team, having taken the Scottish title in April.
Mitchell Barton, Stephen Newns, Robbie McKechnie and Nathaniel Collins, all Scottish champions, complete the line-up. A box-off for the 81kg place is scheduled for December.
Fraser Walker, Interim CEO, Boxing Scotland Ltd welcomed the news and said: 'We have much to live up to following one of our most successful ever Commonwealth Games performances at Glasgow 2014.
I am delighted and thankful that the Commonwealth Games Selection panel has shown faith in us and confirmed the selection of nine boxers at this stage.
'This is a ground breaking moment for Boxing Scotland with confirmation that Vicky Glover will become the first ever Scottish female boxer to be selected to represent Scotland in a senior Commonwealth Games and there were three further women in the mix.
We had no female team members in Glasgow 2014 - this demonstrates how much work we have put into developing female boxing in Scotland and is testament to the performances of our female boxers who have impressed so much during the selection period.
'We have witnessed determination and courage from all the boxers in the world’s toughest tournaments throughout the selection period and our focus now turns to ensuring that our boxers deliver to very best of their ability in 124 days-time when the Games begin.'
Having recently hand cycled her way 2,000 miles from Canada to Mexico, Paralympic Games gold medalist Karen Darke will take to the start line in Gold Coast where Para-Triathlon makes its debut.
Since being paralysed from the chest down in a climbing accident age 21, the Inverness based athletes has pushed herself in an incredible series of challenges, alongside her sporting endeavours, including crossing Greenland’s ice cap and climbing Mont Blanc, Matterhorn and El Capitan, all using just the power of her arms.
Better known as a track athlete, running the 10,000m at both the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and 2017 World Athletics Championships, Beth Potter makes her Commonwealth Games debut as a triathlete.
Gold at the Funchal Sprint European Cup in September demonstrates her successful transition to the sport.
On the men’s side, there is a return to Team Scotland for Marc Austin, who thrilled the home crowd in Strathclyde Park during Glasgow 2014 as part of a three-man breakaway with the Brownlee brothers, while Grant Sheldon, World University Championships gold medalist last year, is also selected for his second Games.
Jane Moncrieff, CEO Triathlon Scotland said: 'We are absolutely delighted that our triathletes have been confirmed for individual events and will be joining Team Scotland at Gold Coast 2018.
We are particularly pleased that para-triathlon will make its debut and Scotland will be represented. We wish all the triathletes the very best, as they continue with their preparations and look forward to getting behind them in April 2018.
The eleven-strong shooting team contains a wealth of experience with Ian Shaw becoming the second Team Scotland athlete (along with Alex Marshall) to make his sixth Commonwealth Games appearance.
With silver at Delhi 2010 and bronze at Glasgow 2014, he will be looking for another podium position, particularly after taking the bronze medal at the 2017 Commonwealth Championships, held at the Gold Coast 2018 competition venue in Brisbane.
Five time Commonwealth Games medalist Jen McIntosh and younger sister Seonaid will also be in the medal hunt after an impressive 2017.
At the European Championships in Baku, both sisters claimed an individual gold before combining with England’s Katie Gleeson to take gold in the team event. It was a similar success story at the Commonwealth Championships as they finished first and second in the Prone event, with Seonaid also claiming gold in the 3 Position.
With a gold, silver and bronze to his name from previous Games, Neil Stirton will be keen to return to the podium, having missed out in Glasgow, while Caroline Brownlie makes her third Games appearance in the Pistol discipline. 20-year-old Aedan Evans, finalist at the 2017 World Junior Championships, heads a list of six shooters making their debut for Team Scotland.
Angus Loudon, Chair of Scottish Target Shooting said: 'Scottish Target Shooting is proud to nominate such a strong team for 2018, featuring Jennifer McIntosh, Scotland’s most successful female athlete at the Commonwealth Games based on the number of medals won and other strong medal contenders.
As the results from the year, and more recently at the Commonwealth Championships earlier this month have shown, Scottish athletes are in fine form winning medals on the international stage and going into 2018 we hope to match, if not exceed the high standards and successes of the Scottish shooters at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.'
Para bowler Irene Edgar and her Director, David Thomas make a return to Team Scotland having won silver in Glasgow in the B2/B3 Mixed Pairs.
Robert Barr, directed by Sarah Jane Ewing, will partner Irene this time around and the pair have already experienced success on the Gold Coast greens, taking silver at the 2016 Eight Nations Championships. In the B6/B7/B8 Open Triples, Michael Simpson is the sole returning member of the team that took 4th place in Glasgow.
He is joined by 2015 Singles World Champion, Martin Hunter and 2016 Scottish Champion, Mike Nicoll.
Janice Eaglesham, Chairperson, Scottish Disability Sport said: 'Scottish Disability Sport is delighted to announce a strong field of players to compete in two medal events at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
'Selection decisions were extremely difficult, but the five players and two directors that were chosen have a blend of experience, as well as a strong sense of team unity, which is vitally important for pairs and triples disciplines.
'I’d like to congratulate those players and directors, who will represent Scotland at the highest level, and we look forward to the Games with great optimism.'
All four weightlifters make their Games debut following a successful Commonwealth Championships, where former World and European record breaking power-lifter Lisa Tobias posted the top Scottish result with 5th in the 48kg category. She is joined by British silver medalist Jodey Hughes, 2015 Australian Champion, Scott Wilson and Scottish U23 record holder Zach Courtney.
Welcoming the newly selected athletes, Jon Doig OBE, Team Scotland Chef de Mission, said: 'Huge congratulations to all of the athletes who have been selected for Team Scotland.
We look forward to them representing their families, communities and country with pride in 2018.
'Every athlete with a place on the team has met the tough selection standards, just to make the team and it is clear that we have the quality within the team to deliver our goal of having our most successful ever overseas Games.'
Aileen Campbell, Minister for Public Health and Sport, said: 'A massive congratulations to the latest athletes announced to represent Scotland at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
'By making it to the top of their respective sports, and being chosen to represent Scotland, they have already done a huge amount to make themselves, and all of us who will be cheering them on, so proud - and I have no doubt that will continue when the Games come around.
'Boxing, para-bowls, shooting and weightlifting have all seen great results for Scottish athletes over the years - triathlon and para-triathlon give the chance to make that success even stronger.
'I am really excited to see the mark all our athletes make on the Games.'
Today’s selections bring the total number of athletes named to Team Scotland to 68, following team announcements for Swimming and Lawn Bowls in October and Squash earlier this month. Further selections will be made over the coming months with Athletics next on 12 December 2017.
SELECTED ATHLETES
BOXING (9):
Name Hometown / Lives
Aqeel Ahmed Dundee / Motherwell
Mitchell Barton Berwick / Berwick
Nathaniel Collins Glasgow / Glasgow
John Docherty Inverness / Montrose
Scott Forrest Edinburgh / Forth, South Lanarkshire
Reece McFadden Motherwell / Motherwell
Robbie McKechnie Kilbirnie / Johnstone
Stephen Newns Cleland, North Lanarkshire / Motherwell
Vicky Glover Glasgow / Hamilton
PARA BOWLS (7):
Name Hometown / Lives
Robert Barr Glasgow / Glasgow
Martin Hunter Burntisland, Fife / Burntisland, Fife
Mike Nicoll Brechin / Jedburgh
Michael Simpson Auchtermuchty / Auchtermuchty
David Thomas Ardrossan / Ardrossan
Irene Edgar Glasgow / Saltcoats
Sarah Jane Ewing Dunfermline / Dunfermline
SHOOTING (11):
Name Hometown / Lives
Aedan Evans Forres / Moray
Calum Fraser Aberdeen / Aberdeen
David McMath Castle Douglas / Dumfries
Ian Shaw Epsom, Surrey / Westbury
Neil Stirton Aberdeen / Aberdeen
Sandy Walker London / London
Caroline Brownlie Bishop’s Waltham / Bishop’s Waltham
Jen McIntosh Falkirk / Edinburgh
Seonaid McIntosh Dollar / Edinburgh
Sharon Niven Armadale / Armadale
Linda Pearson Sheffield / Sheffield
TRIATHLON (4):
Name Hometown / Lives
Marc Austin Glasgow / Glasgow
Grant Sheldon Hamilton / Stirling
Karen Darke Inverness / Inverness
Beth Potter Glasgow / Leeds
WEIGHTLIFTING (4):
Name Hometown / Lives
Zach Courtney Edinburgh / Edinburgh
Scott Wilson Sydney, AUS
Jodey Hughes East Kilbride / East Kilbride
Lisa Tobias Glasgow / Newton Mearn