Gold for Laura Muir and silver for Eilish McColgan capped a fantastic Birmingham 2022 Games for Athletics, as both became double medallists. With an unexpected bronze for the Women’s 4x400m Relay team, it was a special night inside the Alexander Stadium.

Muir became the first Scot ever to claim 1500m gold at a Commonwealth Games, breaking away with 500m to go, from which point the result was never in doubt. She crossed the line in 4.02:75 to take the title and her second medal of these Games, barely 24 hours after her bronze in the 800m. Jemma Reekie followed her home in fifth.

For McColgan, coming into the 5000m final off the high of 10,000m gold and the news she will carry Scotland’s flag into the Closing Ceremony, dug deep in the closing stages to take silver behind Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet. It was a historic silver too, marking Team Scotland’s 500th medal since the Commonwealth Games began in 1930.

Guy Learmonth raced to sixth place in the Men’s 800m, equalling his result from Glasgow 2014, before the Women’s 4 x 400m Relay team took to the track for what would turn out to be an eventful race. Led off by Zoey Clark, who handed on to Beth Dobbin, Jill Cherry and Nicole Yeargin, the team crossed the line fourth in 3.30:15 as England looked to have taken gold by a single hundredth of a second from Canada. But a post-race review found errors in the first baton-change for the English and they were disqualified, giving gold to Canada, silver to Jamaica and bronze to Scotland.

Team Scotland’s boxers enjoyed an historic day by winning three gold medals for the first time ever at a single Commonwealth Games. With two bronze added to the tally it was also the highest medal count for boxing since Edinburgh 1986.

Sam Hickey set the tone by beating Australia’s Callum Peters by split decision, and became Scotland’s first ever Middleweight winner. Light Heavyweight Sean Lazzerini followed, and also overcame his Welsh opponent, Taylor Bevan, by split decision. Finally, Reese Lynch emulated Josh Taylor by triumphing in the Light Welterweight division by defeating Mauritanian Light Welterweight Richarno Colin by majority decision. Bantamweight Matty McHale and Welterweight Tyler Jolly also got their hands on bronze medals following their respective semi finals on Saturday.

Team Scotland’s cyclists capped their Birmingham 2022 campaign with medals in both the Women’s and Men’s Road Races, to take their Commonwealth Games tally to 11 medals, more than any other Games.

By the time Finn Crockett, a Commonwealth Games debutant, sprinted to a podium place on a boiling hot day in Warwickshire, the team had already equalled the 10 medals they won in Gold Coast, Crockett’s screams of delight on finding out he’d snatched bronze in a photo-finish, captured the team’s mood perfectly.

It all started with the women’s race though, where Neah Evans became the most decorated Scottish female cyclist at a single Games with three medals, silver in the road race adding to the silver and bronze medals she won in the Points Race and Individual Pursuit respectively. In a quiet race it all came down to the sprint, that track rider belying her lack of road race experience to secure a stunning silver.

The final evening session of Diving at Sandwell saw three Scottish athletes in action. First up was Angus Menmuir in the Men’s 10m Platform, where he finished in 11^th place. Later in the evening were Grace Reid and Clara Kerr in the Women’s 3m Springboard. Grace finished in eighth place and Clara, despite recording a lifetime best in the event, came in 11^th place.

In the Badminton semi finals, Kirsty Gilmour faced Michelle Li of Canada, and the pair were evenly matched once again. Despite winning the first game, Kirsty was eventually edged out and Michelle progressed to the final. Kirsty was in action once more when she played Singapore’s Jia Min Yeo for the bronze medal, but she could not repeat her feat at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and lost 2-0. Adam Hall and Julie MacPherson sadly weren’t able to recapture the form shown in their quarter final, and they lost 2-0 to both England and Malaysia in the semi final and bronze medal matches.