Commonwealth Games Scotland and Glasgow 2014 have announced the names of 30 up and coming, talented athletes who are the potential Scottish sports stars of Glasgow 2014 in four years time.
The 30 athletes, 16 coaches and 10 mentors who have been selected for the Achieve 2014 programme, a new initiative designed specifically to enhance the winning opportunities of Scottish athletes and coaches on the world stage. The programme has been created to offer a number oftalented athletes and coaches from the sports on the Glasgow 2014 programme, the opportunity to gain critical knowledge and experience of a senior multi-sport environment to assist their own preparations for success in Glasgow and beyond.
Commonwealth Games Scotland and an award of £20,000 from sportscotland. The national agency for sport is also providing expertise to support the programme, with Commonwealth Games gold medallist, World Champion and Olympian in Judo, Graeme Randall MBE appointed as the Achieve 2014 Director. A number of other staff members have been appointed as mentors.
Post Games studies and reports on athlete success at multi-sport Games have consistently highlighted that the environment experienced is significantly different to that which most athletes and staff encounter at their own single sport championships. Whilst sending development athletes to the Games in the past has often proved to be a negative experience, with athletes unprepared for the big step-up. Raising the Games selections standards has helped improve results over the last two Games, with young athletes now getting a less pressured initial multi-sport experience via the successful Commonwealth Youth Games established by Scotland in 2000. The Achieve 2014 programmes now builds on this concept as a bridge to a full Games experience.
Achieve 2014 will offer the athletes and coaches announced today, the opportunity to travel to the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games for a five day learning experience. Each team member will observe their own or similar sport in competition as well as visit the Games Village to see how their Team Scotland counterparts live and train. They will complete specific learning tasks, daily event logs and, upon return, complete a brief report on their personal experiences throughout the whole event.
Assigned to each Achieve 2014 team member will be an athlete or coach mentor, who will work closely with them prior to, during and after the 2010 Games to ensure the time spent in Delhi is utilised to achieve a robust, performance related outcome. Amongst the mentors named today are 2006 Commonwealth Gold medallist shooter Susan Jackson; two time Badminton medal winner, Elinor Middlemiss and former hammer thrower, Shirley Webb who is also a member of the Glasgow 2014 Athletes’ Commission.
Michael Cavanagh, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland said:
“As we mark four years to go to the start of the 2014 Games I am absolutely delighted to announce our Achieve 2014 team who will get a taste of things to come in Delhi this year.
“As we have known for many years, some athletes rise to the big multi-sport occasion whilst others are overwhelmed by it and in 2014 competing on home soil will bring huge opportunities but also additional pressures. Investing in our future talented athletes and coaches is money well spent to help ensure that our athletes have the best preparation possible and can compete with distinction in 2014 and beyond.”
Graeme and his team of mentors are confident that the exciting young talent they have to work with will benefit hugely from the experience.
Graeme Randall MBE said:
“It is great to see the programme coming to life now we have selected our team.Different sports have chosen to use the programme in different ways depending on their stage of development, with some sports only nominating athletes whilst others have just selected coaches and some both. However they are all looking for the same outcome – to enhance their chances of success in Glasgow.”
Glasgow 2014 Chief Executive John Scott said:
“Glasgow has Four Years to Go until the Opening Ceremony at Celtic Park, and it’s fantastic to see these up and coming athletes getting the experience and support they need to achieve their Personal Best on home soil.
“Naming these athletes, mentors and coaches today has underlined our approach to delivering an outstanding Games in 2014 – and keeping them athlete centred and sport focused. I am looking forward to seeing these athletes at work in Delhi, and hearing about their learning experiences over the next Four Years as part of the Achieve 2014 programme.”
Minister for Public Health and Sport Shona Robison said:
“Glasgow 2014 is no longer a distant prospect, the venues and infrastructure are rising from the ground here in Glasgow and all across Scotland people are getting involved and feeling the excitement that the Games will bring. As part of this the Scottish Government’s Games legacy plan aims to inspire everyone in Scotland to get involved and take advantage of this unique opportunity to become a healthier nation. This key landmark on the countdown to 2014 will help to encourage people to make lasting lifestyle changes which will improve their health and make Scotland an Active Nation.
“The young athletes of the future announced today as members of the Achieve 2014 programme symbolise our ambition and optimism for the Games. They have a huge opportunity to be part of the Scottish team competing at a major event. I hope that their experience at Delhi 2010 will inspire them and other aspiring Scottish athletes to excel in their chosen events and contribute to future Scottish sporting success.”
It is intended that the programme will run again in 2012 with athletes attending the London Olympic Games and then for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
TEAM ACHIEVE 2014 – ATHLETES, COACHES & MENTORS
|
|||
Sport
|
Name
|
Role
|
Lives
|
Athletics
|
Jade Nimmo
|
Athlete
|
Falkirk FK1
|
Kris Robertson
|
Athlete
|
Bishopbriggs G64
|
|
Mark Pollard
|
Coach
|
Greenock PA15
|
|
Badminton
|
Kirsty Gilmour
|
Athlete
|
Bothwell G71
|
Paul James Van Reitvelde
|
Athlete
|
Longniddry EH32
|
|
Rita Yuan Gao
|
Coach
|
Paisley PA3
|
|
Boxing
|
Sam Ball
|
Athlete
|
Greenock PA15
|
Mark McKeown
|
Athlete
|
Coatbridge ML
|
|
Danny Lee
|
Coach
|
Inverkip PA16
|
|
Cycling
|
Robbie Hassan
|
Athlete
|
Dumbarton G82
|
Eilidh Wells
|
Athlete
|
Skelmorlie PA17
|
|
TBC
|
Coach
|
||
Hockey
|
Michael Bremner
|
Athlete
|
Kilbarchan PA10
|
Morag McLennan
|
Athlete
|
Glasgow G43
|
|
Colin Clarke
|
Coach
|
Edinburgh EH11
|
|
Judo
|
Connie Ramsay
|
Athlete
|
Edinburgh EH7
|
Craig Stewart
|
Athlete
|
Harthill ML7
|
|
Allan MacDonald
|
Coach
|
Edinburgh EH11
|
|
Lawn Bowls
|
Sarah Ewing
|
Athlete
|
Dunfermline KY11
|
Tommy Mann
|
Athlete
|
Bathgate EH48
|
|
Netball
|
Claire Brownie
|
Athlete
|
Glasgow G5
|
Nicola Collins
|
Athlete
|
Edinburgh EH8
|
|
Denise Holland
|
Coach
|
Kent
|
|
Rugby
|
Iain Monaghan
|
Coach
|
Edinburgh EH12
|
Neill Potts
|
Coach
|
Kirknewton EH27
|
|
Shooting
|
Fraser Cheetham
|
Athlete
|
Edinburgh EH10
|
Jess Liddon
|
Athlete
|
Lockerbie DG 11
|
|
Sinclair Bruce
|
Coach
|
Linlithgow EH49
|
|
Squash
|
Chris Ferguson
|
Athlete
|
Edinburgh EH16
|
Kevin Moran
|
Athlete
|
Edinburgh EH3
|
|
Stuart Crawford
|
Coach
|
Edinburgh EH14
|
|
Swimming
|
Ross Muir
|
Athlete
|
Falkirk FK2
|
Emma Hunter
|
Athlete
|
Musselburgh EH21
|
|
Ian Wright
|
Coach
|
Edinburgh EH44
|
|
Table Tennis
|
Sean Doherty
|
Athlete
|
Glasgow G14
|
Calum Main
|
Athlete
|
Eaglesfield DG11
|
|
Phil McCallum
|
Coach
|
Glasgow G15
|
|
Triathlon
|
Cameron Milne
|
Athlete
|
Stirling FK9
|
Peter Anderson
|
Athlete
|
Laurencekirk AB30
|
|
Chris Volley
|
Coach
|
Stirling FK8
|
|
Weightlifting
|
Amy Hamilton
|
Athlete
|
Glasgow G13
|
Georgina Black
|
Athlete
|
Kilmarnock KA1
|
|
Raymond Cavanagh
|
Coach
|
Glasgow G22
|
|
Wrestling
|
Megan Malone
|
Athlete
|
Cumbernauld G67
|
Tony McKenna
|
Athlete
|
Clydebank G81
|
|
Alan Harper
|
Coach
|
Tullibody FK10
|
|
Mentors
|
Graeme Randall
|
Achieve 2014 Director
|
Largs KA30
|
Gordon Crawford
|
Mentor
|
Stirling FK8
|
|
Bob Easson
|
Mentor
|
Kircaldy KY25
|
|
Susie Elms
|
Mentor
|
Pencaitland EH34
|
|
Susan Jackson
|
Mentor
|
Edinburgh EH9
|
|
Alan Lynn
|
Mentor
|
Stirling FK7
|
|
John Marchant
|
Mentor
|
Edinburgh EH11
|
|
Elinor Middlemiss
|
Mentor
|
Edinburgh EH4
|
|
Hugh Murray
|
Mentor
|
Helensburgh G84
|
|
Chris Robison
|
Mentor
|
Rosyth KY11
|
|
Shirley Webb
|
Mentor
|
Hamilton ML3
|
|
Please note that if any of the Achieve 2014 athletes are subsequently selected for Team Scotland
|
|||
for Delhi 2010 they will be replaced on the programme.
|