Despite being on the Commonwealth Games programme only twice to date, Basketball has come closest of any team sport to winning a medal for Team Scotland with 4th place at Gold Coast 2018. As our Sport Focus comes to a close, here are 12 things you might not know about the sport and its history at the Games:

1. Basketball is one of several optional sports at the Commonwealth Games. This means the host country can choose to add it to the programme if they wish.

2. Gold Coast 2018 is only the second time that basketball has featured at the Commonwealth Games. At these games, Gareth Murray became the first athlete to represent Team Scotland in basketball at two Commonwealth Games.

3. Wheelchair basketball was first played in the USA when basketball players injured during World War II adapted the game in order to continue their enjoyment and be able to participate in a team sport.

4. At Gold Coast 2018, Callan Low became the youngest basketball player ever to take to the court for Team Scotland at a Commonwealth Games at the age of 17.

5. Basketball was not originally played using the basketball we know today. The game used a football until 1929.

6. Former Scotland captain and Team GB Olympian, Kieron Achara, has a passion for playing Lawn Bowls and, had his dream of becoming a basketball player failed, he would have pursued bowls further.

7. Basketball has Scottish roots! In 1891, Dr James Naismith created the sport. Naismith was the son of Scottish parents and first created the game in Springfield, Massachusetts.

8. The 24 second shot clock was created by Danny Biasone in 1954. It was created as a way to stop the winning team from holding the ball for minutes at a time, aiming to stop the other team scoring so that they could keep their lead , resulting in fans getting bored of the slow paced game. Both Leo Ferris and Biasone experimented with a 24-second shot clock during a scrimmage one day to try and tackle the issue, and to speed up the game – it worked!

9. Team Scotland finished 6^th in Men’s Basketball at Melbourne 2006, and narrowly missed out on a medal at the 2018 Gold Coast Games where they finished 4^th. This was the best Scottish result for any team sport at the Commonwealth Games.

10. Robert Archibald was Scotland’s first and only player so far to ever play for the NBA. He started out at local club Dunfermline Reign, before becoming the third pick in the second round 2002 NBA Draft. He went on to play a total of 44 games over two years with the Memphis Grizzles, Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors. He also represented Great Britain 46 times, including at the 2012 Olympics in London.

11. At Melbourne 2006, the medal winning nations were identical in both the men’s and women’s competition – with hosts Australia taking gold, New Zealand silver and England with bronze.

12. Basketball will feature a new format at the 2022 Games in Birmingham, with 3v3 and Wheelchair 3v3 making its Commonwealth Games debut.

On the programme of every Commonwealth Games since 1950 and made a core sport in 2006, Weightlifting is next into our ‘Celebrating Our Past, Building Our Future’ Sport Focus spotlight, as we continue to feature each of the 25 sports in which Scotland has competed at the Commonwealth Games.

Look out for all things Weightlifting on Team Scotland’s website and social channels this month as we delve into the archives for tales of past success and also look ahead to the rising stars of the sport who could be representing Team Scotland at Birmingham 2022.

Weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games

Weightlifting is a core sport and has been included in the Commonwealth Games programme every year since 1950. In 1974 the number of lifts was reduced from three (Press, Snatch, Clean & Jerk) to two (Snatch and Clean & Jerk). Between 1990 and 2002 a medal was awarded for each of the Snatch and Clean and Jerk phases and for the combined total. Since 2006 medals have only been awarded based on the combined total of both of these phases, as is the case at the Olympics.

Para-Sport Powerlifting was integrated into the Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002 and has featured ever since. Both the Weightlifting and Powerlifting events may be contested by men and women. Events for women were first introduced in 2002.

Scotland has found success in the sport throughout its history winning 16 medals: 2 gold, 5 silver and 9 bronze.

Find out more about Weightlifting in the Commonwealth Games on our dedicated Weightlifting page.

Scotland’s Commonwealth Games Medallists

Scotland had sent weightlifters to both the 1950 and 1954 Games but the first medal came at Cardiff 1958 courtesy of Philip Caira, who had been in the team four years earlier and finished fifth. There was no question of finishing outside the medals this time round and he took Light Heavyweight gold by a comfortable margin ahead of Sylvanus Blackman of Barbados and Jack Kestell of South Africa. At Perth 1962 he became the first weightlifter in Commonwealth Games history to retain his title out-lifting George Manners of England by 4.5kg  for gold. These Games also saw bronze for James Moir in the Lightweight event.

There were no medals to be had in 1966 despite the return of Caira and Moir to the team and the presence of future medallist James McNiven. McNiven would have to wait another four years to hit the podium but it was worth the wait, his Flyweight bronze Scotland’s first medal of the Edinburgh 1970 Games and their 100th since the Games began. There was bronze too for Grant Anderson in the Super Heavyweight event as Ray Rigby of Australia took gold over Terry Perdue of Wales due to his lighter body weight, both having lifted the same weight. McNiven added a second bronze in 1974 in the new revised format without the Press lift.

Edmonton 1978 saw Charles Revolta win Flyweight silver and John Hynd win Super Heavyweight bronze. Revolta took 4th place at Brisbane 1982 before a return to the podium at Edinburgh 1986, again winning silver. He was joined on the podium by Alan Ogilvie who took bronze in the same event and went on to win two silver and one bronze medal at Auckland 1990. After a gap of two Games with no medals, Tommy Yule took bronze in the 94kg Snatch before going on to win bronze again, this time for combined total with the move away from medals for each phase. Following Yule’s success, Peter Kirkbride picked up the baton for Scotland in the 94kg event with silver at Delhi 2010 , Scotland’s most recent weightlifting medal. Closest in the most recent Games has been Micky Yule who came agonisingly close, finishing 4th at both Glasgow 2014 and Gold Coast 2018 in the Heavyweight Para-Powerlifting event.

Team Scotland Weightlifting Medallists

Youth Games Success

Weightlifting has featured at the Commonwealth Youth Games on four occasions; Edinburgh 2000, Bendigo 2004, Pune 2008 and Samoa 2015. Five lifters represented the home nation in 2000 with Gary McLean the top performer with three bronze medals in the 85kg Snatch, Clean & Jerk and Combined Total. In a quirk of fate a future Youth Games competitor was at these Games as Daniel Richardson, who would go onto compete for Scotland at Samoa 2015, visited the Edinburgh 2000 Athletes Village as a 3 month old baby, his father Alex the Weightlifting team manager.

Bendigo 2004 saw two Scottish medals, and a move away from separate medals for Snatch and Clean & Jerk just as in the main Games. Peter Kirkbride was the top performer with gold in the 85kg event and he would go on to win senior silver six years later at the Delhi 2010 Games. Jenna O’Neil took bronze in the Women’s 58kg event to make this Scotland’s most successful Youth Games in Weightlifting to date. Pune 2008 saw Scotland represented by three athletes with James Burley recording the best result with 6th in the 85Kg category, his clean and jerk of 128kg representing a personal best. At Samoa 2015 Biatrice Gabell won silver on the opening day in the Women’s 53kg with six perfect lifts. She set new Scottish Youth and Junior records in the process and took one of Scotland’s first medals of the Games. Daniel Richardson also broke Scottish records as he took sixth in the Men’s 69kg, while in the Men’s 77kg Jason Epton put in a strong performance to finish fourth, his total just shy of his own British record.

Scotland at the Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games is the only occasion where Scotland gets to compete in a multi-sport event as a nation in its own right and is one of only six countries to have competed in every Commonwealth Games since their inception in Hamilton in 1930. Represented by 15 athletes participating in six sports at those first Games, winning a very creditable 10 medals, Scotland have gone on to win medals at every Games since.

Edinburgh became the first city to hold the Games twice in 1970 and 1986 and also became the first city to host the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Scotland hosted the Games for a third time when Glasgow welcomed athletes and officials to the XXth Commonwealth Games which was held from 23rd July – 3rd August 2014. Team Scotland celebrated their most successful Games in history, winning a total of 53 medals and went on to record their highest overseas medal tally ever at Gold Coast 2018.

Find out more about the Commonwealth Games and Team Scotland’s past success in our Past Games section.

With two previous Commonwealth Games appearances – Melbourne 2006 and Gold Coast 2018 – Basketball is back on the programme for the 2022 Games in Birmingham in a new 3×3 format. Birmingham will see a debut too for Wheelchair Basketball, also in the 3×3 format. This will be the first time that Basketball has been a part of any Games outside Australia.

Scotland’s basketball players have impressed in both their Commonwealth Games outings to date with 6th place in 2006 and a fantastic 4th place at Gold Coast 2018. We spoke to 2018 team captain Kieron Achara about his Games experience in Gold Coast and what the move to the 3 x 3 format at Birmingham 2022 will mean for the sport and for Scotland.

After a gap of 12 years Basketball was back in the Commonwealth Games for Gold Coast 2018 – what did it mean to the sport and for you personally to have that opportunity to compete?

“It was a real spark of inspiration for our sport.  It allowed us to showcase our sport to a national audience.  It gave us a platform to inspire younger players to give their absolute all to hopefully get an opportunity to compete in the future.  Personally, it was a dream come true.  I got injured before 2006 and never knew if I would ever get another chance, so I was so thankful when we were selected to attend in 2018.  My best memory was celebrating by singing the Proclaimers 500 miles after beating England in our first game. I will never forget that!”

Basketball is back in the Games for Birmingham 2022, this time in 3×3 format – how will this change Scotland’s preparations and what will change in selecting and preparing a team, compared to the traditional format?

“3×3 really is a different style of play, with really offensive minded players who can create their own shot best suited to the game. Preparation could actually be a lot easier since there will only be four athletes competing, the challenge will be narrowing the squad down to those players. With FIBA format players can collect points as individuals, which could make it easier to select a squad. I believe the squad has to play in as many 3×3 tournaments on the FIBA circuit as possible to help with preparation. The game is so new to Scotland, however, if players start embracing the change and start entering tournaments as soon as possible I believe they will really make giant steps forward.”

What opportunities will the new format bring for the sport?

“I personally believe 3×3 is perfect for smaller nations as the depth chart is a lot less – it is a lot easier to get four talented players rather than 12.  I also believe it will be a great development tool for 5 v 5 as players will be forced to work more on their skills in order to score as opposed to just relying on tactics.

“The new format will also attract a new basketball audience as the games are fast paced and exciting for everybody. FIBA at this current moment have a stat that around 80% of their fan base on the circuit are new fans to basketball.  Since 3×3 games tend to be played outside in areas of high footfall it captures new audiences.  I think the Commonwealth Games will showcase just how fun and action packed the 3×3 game is.”

Wheelchair Basketball is also in the Games for the first time, again in 3×3 format, what will that mean for the sport in Scotland?

“Very similar to the walking game, this will give wheelchair basketball another platform to promote the sport.  From my experiences in Scotland it was sometimes difficult to get enough wheelchair players to compete, especially recreationally.  With 3×3 having fewer participants needed it creates more opportunity to play the sport.”

Recording Team Scotland’s best ever team sport result with 4th place at Gold Coast 2018, Basketball is next up in our ‘Celebrating Our Past, Building Our Future’ Sport Focus, which features all 25 sports in which Scotland has competed at the Commonwealth Games.

Look out for everything Basketball related on our website and social media channels in the coming weeks as we delve into the archives for tales of past success, get behind the scenes with the team behind the team and look ahead to Basketball’s return to Commonwealth Games action in 2022.

Our Sport Focus begins on a sad note, as we pay tribute to two special players taken too soon. As the world mourns the loss of a legend of the sport in Kobe Bryant at the age of 41, the Scottish basketball community mourns the loss of Robert Archibald, the first and only Scot to play in the NBA, at just 39.

Born in Paisley, Robert began his basketball journey with Dunfermline Reign before moving to the US to pursue his dreams.  Following an outstanding four-year NCAA career at the University of Illinois he was drafted to the NBA in 2002, playing as power forward and centre for the Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors. Internationally, he represented Scotland throughout his teenage years before joining the GB programme in 2007. He went on to feature at three major international tournaments: EuroBasket 2009, EuroBasket 2011 and London 2012 Olympics – one of only three Scots to play basketball at an Olympic Games.  Archibald followed in the footsteps of his father, Bobby, who captained Scotland and GB in the 1980s.

Basketball at the Commonwealth Games

Basketball is an optional sport in the Commonwealth Games and made its debut at Melbourne 2006. In Melbourne the medal winning nations were identical in both men’s and women’s competitions with hosts Australia taking gold, New Zealand silver and England bronze. The sport made its return for the Gold Coast 2018 Games where Australia again took both gold medals and Scotland had a strong showing, finishing 4th.

Basketball was the only new addition to the Games programme in 2006 and the Scottish men’s team were excited about the prospect of making their Games debut in Melbourne. Playing in Pool A they were up against Australia, Nigeria and India.

Scotland beat India 67-57, staying ahead in the scoring throughout the entire match. This was to be their only pool win and they entered the playoffs for 5-8th place. A victory against South Africa left them to face Barbados to decide 5th and 6th places. But an ankle injury to Guard Laurie Costello just three minutes into the match seemed to seal their fate and Scotland lost 63-73 to take sixth place. 

For 2018 Glasgow Rocks and GB Basketball star, Gareth Murray, was the only returning Scot from the 2006 Games and was joined by fellow Rocks teammate and GB Basketball captain, Kieron Achara who had missed out through injury last time round. Amongst an exciting line up of players making their Games debut, 17-year-old Callan Low became the youngest player ever to represent Team Scotland in Basketball.

Drawn in Pool B alongside England, Cameroon and India, the Scots were based in Townsville, a two hour flight north of Gold Coast. Scotland tipped-off their Commonwealth campaign in style on day one as the sport made its return to the Commonwealth Games for the first time in twelve years. A fabulous 77-65 win over England got the team off to the perfect start to sit at the top of Pool B.

Matches against Cameroon and India swiftly followed and with the Scots growing in confidence they recorded a further two wins to confirm their place as Pool B winners and advance to the Qualifying Finals in Cairns. Once again the team defied the pre-tournament rankings, securing another hard fought victory, this time against Nigeria 66-61 to earn the right to fly south to join the rest of Team Scotland on the Gold Coast, to take part in the semi finals.

Drawn against hosts and tournament favourites Australia, Scotland suffered their first defeat 46-103 and then narrowly lost out 69-79 to New Zealand to see the bronze medal slip from their grasp on the final day of the Games. Finishing fourth was a fabulous achievement and Basketball can be proud of posting Scotland’s best ever result by a team sport at a Commonwealth Games.

Basketball is once again on the sport programme for Birmingham 2022, this time in a 3 x 3 format. Wheelchair Basketball is set to make its Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham and will also be a 3 x 3 event.

Find out more about Basketball in the Commonwealth Games on our dedicated Basketball page.

Scotland at the Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games is the only occasion where Scotland gets to compete in a multi-sport event as a nation in its own right and is one of only six countries to have competed in every Commonwealth Games since their inception in Hamilton in 1930. Represented by 15 athletes participating in six sports at those first Games, winning a very creditable 10 medals, Scotland have gone on to win medals at every Games since.

Edinburgh became the first city to hold the Games twice in 1970 and 1986 and also became the first city to host the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Scotland hosted the Games for a third time when Glasgow welcomed athletes and officials to the XXth Commonwealth Games which was held from 23rd July – 3rd August 2014. Team Scotland celebrated their most successful Games in history, winning a total of 53 medals and went on to record their highest overseas medal tally ever at Gold Coast 2018.

Find out more about the Commonwealth Games and Team Scotland’s past success in our Past Games section.

Wrestling has been a regular contributor to the Team Scotland medal tally since the sport made its Commonwealth Games debut 90 years ago. As our Sport Focus comes to a close, here are 12 things you might not know about the sport and its history at the Games:

1. Wrestling was one of the six sports contested at the first Commonwealth Games (then known as the Empire Games). The others were Aquatics, Athletics, Boxing, Lawn Bowls and Rowing.

2. The two styles that have appeared in the Commonwealth Games are Freestyle and Greco-Roman. In Greco-Roman is limited to techniques from the waist up. In Freestyle there are still restricted holds but use of the legs and holds below the hips are allowed.

3. Freestyle Wrestling has appeared at every Games that has included Wrestling events. Greco-Roman has only been contested once – at the Delhi 2010 Games.

4. Scotland has won a total of 21 medals in Wrestling across all Games; one gold, five silver and fifteen bronze. Albert Patrick is Scotland’s most decorated wrestler with two silver and one bronze medal, won between 1978 and 1986. Edward Melrose, who took the Bantamweight title in 1934 remains Scotland’s only gold medallist in Wrestling to date.

5. After a string of podium finishes between 1958 and 1994, Scotland went 20 years without a Wrestling medal at the Commonwealth Games until Viorel Etko and Alex Gladkov each won bronze at Glasgow 2014.

6. Women’s Wrestling events were first included at Delhi 2010 and Scotland sent a full complement of seven female wrestlers to the Games. Jayne Clason, Sarah Jones and Ashlea McManus were the top performers but all lost out in their bronze medal bouts.

7. Twins Donna and Fiona Robertson made the switch to Wrestling for the Delhi 2010 Games having both won Commonwealth Games medals in Judo. Donna won bronze in the 48kg event at Auckland 1990 while Fiona won bronze in the same category at Manchester 2002.

8. The Stockholm 1912 Olympic Games saw the longest Wrestling match in history, lasting 11 hours 40 minutes. Martin Klein of Russia eventually beat Alfred Asikainen of Finland but was so exhausted he was declared unfit to compete in the final. These Games also saw the longest ever Olympic final at 9 hours which was eventually declared a tie and both athletes received silver medals with no gold awarded.

9. Amateur wrestling was limited to three three-minute rounds effective in all international competition from 1967. In the current rules for Junior and Senior wrestlers, the duration of a bout is two periods of three minutes with a 30-second break between them.

10. Freestyle Wrestling was developed in Great-Britain and in the United States under the name of catch-as-catch-can and became the favourite attraction in fairs and popular celebrations during the 19th century. The goal of this discipline was to bring the adversary’s shoulder to the ground and almost all holds were allowed.

11. Among a wrestler’s equipment is a cloth handkerchief, also known as a blood rag, used to wipe away blood or sweat during a bout. It is carried inside the wrestler’s singlet.

12. Wrestling at the Birmingham 2022 Games will take place at Coventry Stadium & Indoor Arena, also the venue for Rugby 7s and Judo.

Rising star Ross Connelly is determined to follow in his dad’s footsteps and make the step up onto the Wrestling podium at Birmingham 2022, but one thing is clear – he’s doing this his own way.

“There’s never been any pressure to live up to anything I’ve done,” says his dad David, Light Flyweight bronze medallist for Scotland at the Edinburgh 1986 Commonwealth Games. “Since he was a young boy he’s always been told to just do his own thing and achieve what he can achieve.”

So far that includes winning bronze at the 2017 Commonwealth Championships at the age of just 18 and one Commonwealth Games already under his belt at Gold Coast 2018. The drive towards Birmingham 2022 is already underway and in a step up from previous years, 2019 saw him lift a trio of titles; Scottish, English and British for the first time.

“It was unbelievable to be selected for Gold Coast, especially with it being my first Games,” says Ross. “That rush when you get selected and for it to be in a place like Australia as well, somewhere you wouldn’t get the chance to go very often, it was a special experience. I think it was special for my family as well, for my Dad with him having done Commonwealth Games himself.

“When I was growing up he was my biggest inspiration in wrestling because I just wanted to be like him. He never says anything about his medal, it’s more in my head that I want to compete with that and try to go one better.

“When I was about four or five years old I started tagging along with him to training. I would say I was going to wrestling but really I would just kind of follow him about the mat and jump around and stuff, it wasn’t really proper wrestling, but once I started doing that I just got the bug for it.”

With dad to look up to, Wrestling was perhaps always on the cards for Ross, but for David it was more an accident of geography and his heroes, while not family, were definitely home grown. Brought up in Cumbernauld he “fell” into the sport and it all went from there.

“It was a well-known club and a lot of the kids that I grew up with had either tried it or were still attending the club, so I just kind of fell into it that way. I was more into football at the time but I went along with them one night and that was it. One by one they left and moved on to other things but I enjoyed it so I stayed. I enjoyed that difference of it being an individual thing, just me against an opponent and it was up to me whether I won or lost.

“Bobby McLucas and Michael Cavanagh were there at the time and they had gone to earlier Commonwealth Games. I’d have been in my early to mid-teens and you were looking up to these guys. They were a few years older than me and were from the same club, so that was my inspiration.”

It wasn’t long before he was emulating his predecessors and making his own Commonwealth Games debut. He would compete at two Games, taking bronze at his first and 4th place at his second, and become one of only 18 Scots to have won a Commonwealth Games Wrestling medal to date.

“When I look back to Edinburgh 1986, it was a bit surreal, I was just 18 and had never been to a multi-sport event like that. It wasn’t overwhelming, but you had to pinch yourself that you were actually there. Competing and pulling on the tracksuit and singlet for Scotland was just a dream come true. I wish I could have done it more but unfortunately I was competing at that time where wrestling was dropping in and out of the Games, so I just got a couple in 1986 and 1994.

“In Edinburgh, being at home was obviously a bonus because friends and family could come and see you compete and it was fantastic, the whole atmosphere and everything. To stand on the podium was amazing, again surreal and I was maybe a bit too young to appreciate it as much as I should have at the time. It’s one of those things you wish you could just do over and over again.”

Incredibly that medal is something that his son has never seen. While experience and advice has been passed father to son, there’s certainly not been any sitting around reminiscing about past achievements in the Connelly household.

Searching his memory Ross says: “I remember one day we were clearing out the loft and there was some Commonwealth Games kit, I think it was from Victoria ‘94. I remember seeing his wrestling singlets, but I don’t think I ever remember seeing the medal or holding the medal or anything. I’m sure he’ll know where it is somewhere, he’s just such a modest man. It’s more been in training, he’s given me advice about working hard and, with tough matches, to fight right to the end of every match.”

As Birmingham 2022 approaches and being closer to home Games, Ross may be looking for dad to share just a bit more about his own competitive experience.

“Competing in Gold Coast has given me a real buzz for Birmingham. It’s a different buzz because it’s not your first Games but in a way it’s probably even stronger. Before Gold Coast the buzz was to get to your first Games, take in that experience and learn, especially because I was only 18 at the time. For Birmingham I want to get on the podium and really prove myself at the next Commonwealth Games. It’s a different buzz, but it’s just as strong.

“Birmingham will be special because it will be easier for family and friends to be able to come and support us. Everyone around the UK, not just in Birmingham, will be buzzing about the Games, just like Glasgow was, with everyone talking about the Games, going out on the street and showing their support. I think it’ll be great.

“I’ll have to get my Dad’s experience of his home Games out of him. He’s a quiet man and doesn’t mention it much but I’ll have to pressure him into it because, I know him, he’ll just keep saying ‘yeah, it was good’. I’ve got the bug for it now. Once you’ve done one you want to do another and hopefully this time I can get a better result and maybe get on the podium in Birmingham.”

As for dad he’s incredibly proud to have his son following in his footsteps and is looking forward to having the opportunity to be there to watch him compete.

“Gold Coast was just a bit far for us to get to because Ross’s selection wasn’t until quite late. The flights were really expensive by then and getting time off work was difficult. We’d have loved to go and see him but it just wasn’t practical at the time. I’m sure if he makes Birmingham we’ll be taking a trip down as a family to see him compete there and cheer him on.

“I think like every parent I’d like to see him get further than I did. That would be the ideal scenario. I’m incredibly proud and maybe I don’t tell him that enough.

“I don’t get too involved in his day to day training because he’s got programmes worked out by his national coach now, but I’ll be saying the same thing I said to him before Gold Coast – just go out there and lap up the experience. I think Ross has come back from there with a different mentality, just the same as I did coming back from my first Games in Edinburgh. You’ve done a Games and you know what to expect moving forwards so you just go and do your best. Hopefully all your hard work will pay off and things fall into place at the Games and you can maybe snatch a medal.”

Wrestling has a proud history at the Commonwealth Games, regularly contributing to Team Scotland’s medal tally since Scottish wrestlers made their debut in 1934. One of the original six sports in the Games and on the programme at all but three Games since, here are just some of the highlights of Scotland’s participation across 90 years of Commonwealth Games Wrestling.

London 1934 – Scotland’s Golden Debut

After fielding no wrestlers at the inaugural Games of 1930, Scotland made their Wrestling debut in fine style in 1934 winning four medals from seven athletes. Edward Melrose won Bantamweight gold, which remains Scotland’s only Wrestling gold to date, sharing the podium with Canadian Ted McKinley and six time British champion and 1932 Olympian Joseph Reid of England.

Heavyweight Archibald Dudgeon, nicknamed ‘the Loch Ness Monster’, took bronze as Australia’s Jack Knight took gold. Robert Harcus at Middleweight and Murdoch White in the Featherweight event also took bronze for what is still Scotland’s highest medal tally in the sport at a single Games. White’s bronze remained Scotland’s only medal in this weight category until Viorel Etko took bronze at Glasgow 2014.

Edinburgh 1986 – Third Medal in Three Games for Patrick

Flag bearer Albert Patrick secured his place as Scotland’s most decorated Commonwealth Games wrestler with silver in the Super Heavyweight event, adding to his silver in 1978 and bronze in 1982. While disappointed that he couldn’t make it gold to complete the set in front of his family on home soil, the Canadian Wayne Brightwell, who had finished 8th at Olympic Games two years previously, proved too strong. The drama didn’t finish with the competition however, as Patrick also carried the flag at the Closing Ceremony where the Saltire detached from the pole midway through the ceremony and had to be reattached.

David Connelly at Light Flyweight and Graeme English at Light Heavyweight added two bronze to make it wrestling’s best medal haul for over half a century. English would go on to compete at the 1988 Olympic Games and, after a hiatus for Wrestling in 1990, returned to the Commonwealth Games in 1994 to claim a second bronze. David Connelly’s son Ross represented Team Scotland at the Gold Coast 2018 Games having won bronze at the Commonwealth Championships in 2017 aged just 18.

Glasgow 2014 – 20 Year Wait Ends on Home Soil

Scotland had gone 20 years without a wrestling medal but it wasn’t long before the sport contributed to Team Scotland’s record medal haul at Glasgow 2014. Viorel Etko ended Scotland’s wait to the delight of the home crowd, becoming the first Scot since 1994 to win a Wrestling medal at a Commonwealth Games, taking bronze in the 61kg competition. It was then the turn of Alex Gladkov (65kg), coached by his father, Volodymyr, to collect Team Scotland’s second Wrestling bronze in epic fashion, with the 28-year-old overcoming controversial calls, and a mid-match knee injury, to defeat his Sri Lankan opponent Chamara Perera.

In the women’s competition Sarah Jones (69kg), Shannon Hawke (53kg) and Fiona Robertson (48kg) were the top performers all finishing in fifth place. With two bronze medals Wrestling matched their 1994 performance, the last time they were on the podium.

These of course are just some of the highlights across 90 years of the Commonwealth Games. Scottish wrestlers took at least one medal at every Games to include the sport between 1958 and 1994 and will be looking to hit the podium again in two years time at Birmingham 2022.

Click to see Team Scotland’s full Wrestling medal record at the Commonwealth Games.

One of the six sports contested at the very first Commonwealth Games back in 1930, Wrestling has been  a medal winning sport for Scotland throughout its history. In the first month of the new year, Wrestling will be in our ‘Celebrating Our Past, Building Our Future’ Sport Focus spotlight, as we continue to feature each of the 25 sports in which Scotland has competed at the Commonwealth Games.

Look out for all things Wrestling on Team Scotland’s website and social channels this month as we delve into the archives for tales of past success and also look ahead to the rising stars of the sport in Scotland.

Wrestling at the Commonwealth Games

Wrestling was one of six sports included in the first Commonwealth Games in 1930 and has been on the sport programme at 18 of the 21 Games held to date despite remaining an optional sport. From just three nations competing in 1930, the sport has become a staple of the Games with 23 nations taking to the mat at Gold Coast 2018.

Freestyle Wrestling has been the only discipline contested at all Games, with the exception of Delhi 2010 which added a Greco-Roman event alongside Freestyle. Women’s events were first introduced in 2010 with Team Scotland selecting a full complement of seven female wrestlers.

Scotland has found success in the sport throughout its history winning 21 medals: 1 gold, 5 silver and 15 bronze.

Find out more about Wrestling in the Commonwealth Games on our dedicated Wrestling page.

Scotland’s Commonwealth Games Medallists

With Scotland not among the three nations to contest the Wrestling medals in 1930, it was the following Games in 1934 that saw Scottish wrestlers make their debut in fine style. Edward Melrose won gold in the Bantamweight event and remains Scotland’s only Wrestling gold medallist to date. His team mates Archibald Dudgeon, Robert Harcus and Murdoch White all took bronze in what is still Scotland’s highest medal tally in the sport at a single Games.

Bronze for Thomas Ward was the sole medal at the next Games in Sydney where a very small team was sent to Australia and following no medals at either the 1950 or 1954 Games, silver for Alastair Duncan and George Farquhar at Cardiff 1958 marked the start of a winning streak for Scotland’s wrestlers. Beginning in 1958, Scotland won at least one medal at each of the next nine Games where the sport was included (no Wrestling competition was held in 1990 or 1998). The most successful Games during this time was a three medal tally at home at Edinburgh 1986 as Albert Patrick took silver and David Connelly and Graeme English bronze. Patrick’s silver secured his place as Scotland’s most decorated Commonwealth Games wrestler, adding to his previous silver at Edmonton 1978 and bronze at Brisbane 1982.

Graeme English added his second medal at Victoria 1994, with Calum McNeil also on the podium for Scotland, and these remained the final wrestling medals for Scotland for 20 years before Viorel Etko and Alex Gladkov delighted the home crowd at Glasgow 2014, breaking the drought with bronze medals in the Men’s 61kg and 65kg events respectively.

Team Scotland Wrestling Medallists

Scotland at the Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games is the only occasion where Scotland gets to compete in a multi-sport event as a nation in its own right and is one of only six countries to have competed in every Commonwealth Games since their inception in Hamilton in 1930. Represented by 15 athletes participating in six sports at those first Games, winning a very creditable 10 medals, Scotland have gone on to win medals at every Games since.

Edinburgh became the first city to hold the Games twice in 1970 and 1986 and also became the first city to host the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Scotland hosted the Games for a third time when Glasgow welcomed athletes and officials to the XXth Commonwealth Games which was held from 23rd July – 3rd August 2014. Team Scotland celebrated their most successful Games in history, winning a total of 53 medals and went on to record their highest overseas medal tally ever at Gold Coast 2018.

Find out more about the Commonwealth Games and Team Scotland’s past success in our Past Games section.

Cycling has been included in the Commonwealth Youth Games on three occasions, making its debut at Bendigo 2004 before being included at Isle of Man 2011 and Bahamas 2017. As part of our Sport Focus on Cycling we catch up with three former Commonwealth Youth Games cyclists on their experience competing for Team Scotland and what they are doing now…

Kevin Barclay – Bendigo 2004

At Bendigo 2004, the only Youth Games to date to feature Track, Road and Mountain Bike events, Scotland was represented by four athletes: Kevin Barclay, Shane Charlton, Stuart McManus and Catherine Niblock, with Scotland’s best result at these Games coming from Shane Charlton with 7th place in the 1km Time Trial. One of the youngest in the team at 16, Kevin Barclay took a top 10 finish in the Points race and 19^th in the Scratch 10km. He looks back on his Youth Games experience and how it has helped him as a rider and as a coach:

“It was very early in my cycling career that I was selected for the Youth Games, so this was my first time racing abroad and my first time representing Scotland. It was a steep learning curve with all the help and information I gained from the support staff, but it was a major achievement to me that I was selected and I was proud to be representing my country.

“Bendigo is hot in December! Going from training in 4-5 degrees in Scotland to 40 degrees in Australia was a challenge. The people in Bendigo itself were so interested in the racing and keen to watch every event they could and it really added to the atmosphere of the Youth Games and made the experience slightly surreal! The Velodrome itself was a D shape and not an oval like every other velodrome I had raced on previously. The racing was different to what I was used to at that time and I would have been one of the youngest riders in the cycling events. I remember the speed being relentless in each race.

“It was my first multi-sport competition and it was interesting to see how other sports approach things differently. I think this is something that has stayed with me, both as a rider and now as a coach, that sometimes finding new ways to improve in your discipline, you may need to look outside your own sport.

“I’m still cycling and competing, but my main focusing now is in the coaching side of the sport. It’s an area I’m really enjoying as I can pass on my experience to others and help them to improve. My riders also keep me on my toes!”

Grant Ferguson – Isle of Man 2011

Road Cycling was back on the programme for the Isle of Man 2011 Games and Scotland’s four cyclists (Jack Barrett, Grant Ferguson, Taylor Johnstone and Stuart McCluskey) performed well amid a host of World and European champions. Grant Ferguson in particular pushed the medal winners close coming 11th in the Time Trial, sixth in the Road Race and fifth in the Criterium. He went on the represent Team Scotland at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and Team GB at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. He says his Youth Games experience was great preparation for those multi-sport events:

“I was in the early stages of my career when I was selected for the Youth Games. I was in the junior category and still at school so it was a busy time with lots of different races on each weekend, but I remember being very excited to be selected to represent Scotland. It was my first multi-sport Games and I had always wanted to represent Scotland at a big competition so I couldn’t wait.

“I remember getting to meet a wide range of athletes and making friends from all the different sports. The competition was hard but it went well and we got to watch some of the other sports after the cycling events which was fun.

“I learnt about how to operate at a multi-sport competition which is a different environment and atmosphere to a cycling specific event. I think it prepared me very well for Glasgow, Rio and Gold Coast and it gave me the opportunity to learn and develop my career. I also got to meet all the Team Scotland staff during Isle of Man which was lovely and their help and knowledge during all my Games since has been perfect. It was nice to meet athletes in the Isle of Man that I got to meet again at future Games and see their careers progressing at the highest level.

“My proudest achievements in cycling are representing Scotland at three Commonwealth Games events and Team GB at the Rio Olympics. For the coming year my goals revolve around the World Cup Series and World Championships in Germany. I’d like to get back into the top 20 of Elite and hopefully go even better. The Birmingham 2022 Games will definitely also be in my plans, it’s a venue that we have competed on regularly over the past few years and it’s an exciting goal to have.”

Rhona Callander – Bahamas 2017

Team Scotland’s first Youth Games Cycling medals came at the most recent edition of the Games, Bahamas 2017, where Team Scotland was represented by Dylan Hughes, Stephen Dent and Rhona Callander. Dylan made history as Scotland’s first ever Youth Games Cycling medallist with silver in the Time Trial, swiftly followed by Rhona taking the sport’s first gold with victory in the Road Race on the final day of the Games. Rhona takes us on a short trip down memory lane to her historic win two years ago:

“When I was selected for the Commonwealth Youth Games I was on the GB Junior Team but I was so excited to be selected because I’d never raced for Scotland on an international stage before. It’s always such a privilege to wear the jersey. And of course I thought going to the Bahamas was pretty cool!

“Aside from the cycling some of my best memories are playing pool in the hotel with my teammates and other people from other nations and sports. And the yoga in the sea was something else as well! I had no idea I was Scotland’s first cycling gold medallist at the Commonwealth Youth Games at the time. It was an amazing feeling when I crossed the line though!

“I learnt so much from the trip. It was my first international multi-sport Games and it can be pretty easy to be swept away with all the hype going on. So when I was at the European Games this year I was able to focus on my performance.

“I was so happy to be selected for U23 Europeans and Senior European Games this year. In terms of race results I was most happy with my performance at Healthy Ageing Tour [an annual UCI stage race for women held in the Netherlands] this year.  I really didn’t expect to get into the first echelon every day because the wind was such a big factor. But everything seemed to go pretty well for me!” [Rhona finished the Tour in 2^nd place in the Youth Classification and 12^th in the General Classification]

A gold medal-winning sport for Team Scotland at each of the last five Games, Cycling is next up in our ‘Celebrating Our Past, Building Our Future’ Sport Focus, which features all 25 sports in which Scotland has competed at the Commonwealth Games.

Look out for everything Cycling related on our website and social media channels in the coming weeks as we follow Scotland’s cyclists from their first appearance in 1934 to their best Games ever at Gold Coast 2018.

Cycling at the Commonwealth Games

Cycling is an optional sport on the Commonwealth Games programme and was first introduced into the sports programme in 1934. It has featured in every Commonwealth Games since, making many people think it is a core sport. It can include any or all of the three disciplines: Track, Road and Mountain Bike.

Only two events were on the programme for cycling’s first Games appearance in 1934: the Men’s 1km Time Trial and Men’s 10 Mile Scratch Race. A Men’s Road Race was added four years later and remained the only road event until the introduction of the Men’s Team Time Trial in 1982. The first three women’s events were introduced in 1990: Individual Pursuit, Match Sprint and Road Race. Mountain Bike events for both men and women were first raced in 2002 and have been included at each Games since with the exception of Delhi 2010. Para-Sport Track Cycling made its Games debut at Glasgow 2014 with four medal events and all four events featured again at Gold Coast 2018.

Team Scotland cyclists have won 28 Commonwealth Games medals: 9 gold, 9 silver and 10 bronze, with Brian Temple the first medal winner for Scotland with Scratch Race silver in 1970. Edward Alexander won bronze in the Match Sprint at Edinburgh 1986 for Scotland’s second cycling medal and the last until Chris Hoy, Craig MacLean, Ross Edgar & Marco Librizzi doubled the tally to four with gold and bronze between them at Manchester 2002. Scottish cyclists have gone on to win medals at every Games since with Gold Coast 2018 the most successful to date with four gold, four silver and two bronze.

Find out more about Cycling in the Commonwealth Games, including the competition format, rules and equipment on our dedicated Cycling page.

Scotland’s Commonwealth Champions

While Brian Temple won Scotland’s first cycling medal in 1970, it would be another three decades before a Scottish cyclist would stand on the top step of the podium. Manchester 2002 saw Chris Hoy deliver Scotland’s first Cycling gold medal in the history of the Commonwealth Games, beating reigning Olympic Champion Jason Queally to the 1km Time Trial title. Hoy also took bronze in the Team Sprint alongside Craig MacLean, Ross Edgar and Marco Librizzi. Melbourne 2006 saw Hoy come up short in the defence of his 1km title, having to settle for bronze, but there were better fortunes in the Team Sprint where he teamed up with Craig MacLean and Ross Edgar. Up against ‘the auld enemy’ in the final, the Scots pulled off the ride of the year to edge into gold medal position and post the second fastest time ever by a British team.  For Ross Edgar, these Games exceeded all expectations, returning home with a full set of medals.

Delhi 2010 saw David Millar take Scotland’s first Commonwealth Games gold medal on the road with victory in the 40km Time Trial, also taking bronze in the Road Race. Neil Fachie, piloted by Craig MacLean, was a double gold medallist at Glasgow 2014, roared on by the home crowd to win both Para-Sport Men’s B Tandem Sprint and 1km Time Trial. He repeated the feat at Gold Coast 2018 to bring his gold medal tally to four and become Team Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Games cyclist of all time. Individual Pursuit gold for Katie Archibald, on the same night as her brother John won silver, and a sensational finish from Mark Stewart to take a memorable victory in the Points Race made Gold Coast cycling’s most successful Games to date.

Team Scotland Cycling Gold Medallists

Click here for a full list of Team Scotland’s Cycling medallists

Youth Games Success

Cycling has been included in the Commonwealth Youth Games on three occasions, making its debut at Bendigo 2004 with Scotland represented by four athletes. The Bendigo programme featured Track, Road and Mountain Bike events with Scotland’s best result at these Games coming from Shane Charlton with 7th place in the 1km Time Trial.

Road Cycling was back on the programme for the Isle of Man 2011 Games and Scotland’s four athletes performed well amid a host of World and European champions. Grant Ferguson in particular pushed the medal winners close coming 11th in the Time Trial, sixth in the Road Race and fifth in the Criterium. He went on the represent Team Scotland at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and Team GB at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Team Scotland’s first Youth Games Cycling medals came at the most recent edition of the Games, Bahamas 2017. Dylan Hughes made history as Scotland’s first ever Youth Games Cycling medallist with silver in the Time Trial, swiftly followed by Rhona Callander taking the sport’s first gold with victory in the Road Race on the final day of the Games.

Scotland at the Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games is the only occasion where Scotland gets to compete in a multi-sport event as a nation in its own right and is one of only six countries to have competed in every Commonwealth Games since their inception in Hamilton in 1930. Represented by 15 athletes participating in six sports at those first Games, winning a very creditable 10 medals, Scotland have gone on to win medals at every Games since.

Edinburgh became the first city to hold the Games twice in 1970 and 1986 and also became the first city to host the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Scotland hosted the Games for a third time when Glasgow welcomed athletes and officials to the XXth Commonwealth Games which was held from 23rd July – 3rd August 2014. Team Scotland celebrated their most successful Games in history, winning a total of 53 medals and went on to record their highest overseas medal tally ever at Gold Coast 2018.

Find out more about the Commonwealth Games and Team Scotland’s past success in our Past Games section.