countdwn COMMONWEALTH GAMES SCOTLAND NEWSLETTER ISSUE 14 – SUMMER 2010 making a record eighth Commonwealth Games appearance when he steps out onto the rink in Delhi at the remarkable age of 72. Not only does this make him the oldest competitor in the team, no other Scottish athlete in any sport has matched this significant milestone. However, clay target shooter, Ian Marsden, who carried the flag for Scotland at the 2006 Opening Ceremony is hot on his heels having been selected for seven Games. Also included are 31 competitors who have successfully made the transition from previous Commonwealth Youth Games Teams, nine of whom were in the last Games in Pune and have already experienced the conditions in India. Scotland will be participating in 16 out of Athlete representatives gather in Stirling the 17 sports on the Games programme, with netball unfortunately not qualifying for the 12 team tournament. There are Team Scotland 191-strong for Delhi 2010 also some new sports on the programme in tennis and women’s wrestling, whilst archery makes a long awaited return to the With the Wallace monument towering in the background, Commonwealth Games for the first time since 1982. Games Scotland (CGS) unveiled one of the biggest teams ever to represent Scotland at the XIX Commonwealth Games in Delhi in less than 50 days time. The athletes will be supported by a staff of The 191–strong team, from 16 sports have all met rigorous selection standards 91, comprising team management, coaches, that would have seen them finish in the top eight at the last Games. medical and sports science staff, many of whom work with athletes on a day to day Included in the line-up is Olympic cycling total of 30 medals between them. All will basis through the sportscotland institute of silver medallist, Ross Edgar, who also has be looking to find top form and repeat their sport network. four Commonwealth Games medals to medal winning performances, along with his name. There are several World and a host of other athletes keen to become Also travelling to Delhi will be the 30 European Champions, swimmer Hannah the latest Scottish sporting heroes and athletes, 16 coaches and 10 mentors on Miley being the latest to join these contribute to the Team’s medal target of the Achieve 2014 programme. This new esteemed ranks, and an impressive 18-25 medals. initiative, supported by sportscotland, 18 Commonwealth Games has been created for them to gain critical medallists who have won a Amongst those with a strong track record knowledge and experience of a multi-sport of success at the Games are David Carry games in advance of Glasgow 2014. and Caitlin McClatchey, double gold medallists from Melbourne who set The first team departure for the Games will the Scotland team alight, both be on 23 September from Glasgow Airport winning gold on the first day of flying with Emirates Airlines, one of the competition, beating the home team’s commercial partners. favourites Australia in the pool. Competition gets underway on Monday 4 October – Good luck to all At 14 years of age, diver members of Team Scotland in Delhi Grace Reid is the 2010! youngest member of Team Scotland and 58 years her senior is lawn bowls legend and reigning fours World Diver Grace Reid will champion, Willie fly the flag in India Wood, who will be MESSAGES OF Good luck Team Scotland! SUPPORT Melbourne 2006 was Scotland’s most successful Games ever and I wish all the athletes certainly one of my own proudest selected to represent moments in sport, as part of the team Team Scotland at the 2010 management. It was a Games where Commonwealth Games in everything that could go right, did go Delhi the very best of luck. right and when athletes took every All of these athletes have opportunity to excel within a well reached this point through prepared team. Everyone wanted to sheer hard work, dedication feature on the medal table. and commitment and are an inspiration to us all.” CGS has adopted the same rigorous Shona Robison, Minister for Public Health “Prepared for the challenge” planning and preparation for Delhi and Sport 2010 supported by a number of our key partners - the 17 governing bodies of sport, sportscotland and their institute network, On behalf of sportscotland as its high performance arm. I would like to thank them all for their hard work and support I would like to congratulate preparing the athletes and releasing staff to go to the Games, to ensure that first class each of the athletes selected to represent Team Scotland support continues right through to performance. at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. I would also like to thank our commercial partners in Clydesdale Bank and Emirates Airline, sportscotland is committed both on board for their second successive Games. We truly value their support, along with to the continual investment that of the Leadership Trust for their excellent team management training. in the development of high performance sport and we are proud to provide support As has been widely reported, Delhi is facing many challenges getting ready to host the and expertise to sports and athletes through Games. CGS has been working hard over the last four years to ensure we are fully prepared our institute network. and able to minimise the impact of this on our team, but clearly we are heading into an Louise Martin CBE, Chair of sportscotland environment we have not had to face before. Coupled with the date clash with a number of London 2012 Olympic qualification events, this will undoubtedly affect our medal winning Representing Team potential. However we are confident we have selected a strong, talented and well prepared Scotland, wearing the team Team Scotland for the 2010 Commonwealth Games who I am sure will rise to the challenges colours and competing that lie ahead and do Scotland proud. under the Saltire is I’m sure one of the proudest Michael Cavanagh, Chairman, Commonwealth Games Scotland moments of each of your careers. On behalf of Team Scotland partners, As Chef de Mission for Team Scotland, Clydesdale Bank, I wish you every success in I would like to congratuate all the the challenges that lie in ahead in Delhi. athletes on their selection. I’m very Steve Reid, Retail Director, Clydesdale Bank excited about the quality of the team with its mix of youth and experience. We are proud and excited Our focus has been on having the best once again to be the Team prepared team we can be and now our Scotland’s official travel role is to bring all sports and athletes partner and look forward to sending them on their together as ‘One Team’. This has been way to Delhi in style. The one of the strengths of Team Scotland opportunity to demonstrate in the past and again will be a vital our support for the best in “A time for new heroes to arise” factor in our success for these Games. Scottish sport is a real thrill for everyone at Emirates - we’ll be doing everything we can Our main concerns at this stage are to ensure that the team benefits from our not directly team related, but more about the completion of the physical infrastructure and the expertise in helping long-haul passengers organisation of the Games. However, ‘he who adapts best, will do best’. We can do little about arrive at their destinations in the greatest possible comfort. Delhi’s preparations. It is important that we and our athletes retain our focus, and look at what we can control, rather than worrying about what we can’t. Denise Holmes, Emirates Sales Manager Scotland Like every Games there are no medal guarantees. Despite reports to the contrary, there will be many current world and Olympic medallists present including from Scotland and I am sure that It is a privilege to be involved with CGS; not only India will be both generous hosts and formidable opponents, along with our traditional rivals. in their preparation for success in the Games in We have set a medal target of between 18-25 medals which is less than Melbourne, but in India Delhi, but also in how they we face different conditions which are very new to many of our athletes. Our earlier predictions can use that experience to were higher, but we have lost a number of key athletes with high medal prospects due to inspire future generations. schedule clashes and or injury, such as Sir Chris Hoy and gymnast Daniel Keatings. However We wish Team Scotland the thanks to the rigorous selection standards we have realistic medal prospects across the team very best of luck at the Games. and now is definitely a time for new heroes to emerge prior to Glasgow 2014. With a positive Paul K Winter, Chief Executive, The mindset and the experienced support of our team staff, I know Team Scotland has the ability to Leadership Trust Foundation do well and I am proud to be leading them in Delhi. 2 Jon Doig, Chef de Mission, Team Scotland Team Scotland ARCHERY ATHLETE EVENTS SELECTED FOR BORN / LIVES Kyle Dods Compound Oban / Oban Mark Forrester Recurve Glasgow / Harpenden Tim Keppie Compound Glasgow / Newcastle u Lyme James Laing Recurve Dundee / Laurencekirk Simon Needham Recurve Plymouth / Montrose Alistair Whittingham Compound Billinge / Edinburgh Emma Downie Recurve Fraserburgh / Wolverhampton “Prepared for the challenge” Claudine Jennings Compound Farnborough/ Edinburgh Susan Maitland Compound Oslo / Penicuick Tracey McGowan Compound Stirling / Tadcaster Robbie Renwick focused Team Leader – Bob Provan on success in Delhi Coach – Lana Needham Psychologist – Kris Dun AQUATICS ATHLETICS Swimming ATHLETE EVENTS SELECTED FOR BORN / LIVES ATHLETE EVENTS SELECTED FOR BORN