Boasting Team Scotland’s most decorated male and female athletes in Commonwealth Games history in Alister Allan and Jen McIntosh, Shooting has been one of our most successful sports since its introduction to the Games in 1966.

Look out for everything Shooting related on our website and social media channels in the coming weeks as the sport steps into our ‘Celebrating Our Past, Building Our Future’ Sport Focus spotlight. We’ll be following Scotland’s current stars and delving into the archives for tales of Games past as we continue our Sport Focus series, which features all 25 sports in which Scotland has competed at the Commonwealth Games.

Shooting at the Commonwealth Games

Shooting is an optional sport in the Commonwealth Games programme but, with the exception of Edinburgh in 1970, it has been included in every Games since its introduction at Kingston 1996. Scotland’s first medals in the sport came at Chirstchurch 1974 when Colin McEachran took Fullbore silver and Alister Allan took bronze in the 50m Rifle prone.

With 51 medals: 13 gold, 16 silver and 22 bronze, Shooting is Scotland’s fourth most successful sport at the Commonwealth Games behind Aquatics, Athletics and Boxing, all of which have been included at every Games since 1930. Scotland sit sixth on the all-time Shooting medal table, just a single medal behind New Zealand in 5th, having won medals at every Games since Christchurch 1974.

Alister Allan is not only Shooting’s most successful athlete, but also the most decorated Scottish athlete in Games history across all sports. His 10-medal tally of three gold, three silver and four bronze over five Games puts him ahead of swimmer Duncan Scott on seven medals and bowler Alex Marshall and sprinter Allan Wells, both on six.

Shirley McIntosh and Patricia Littelchild became Scotland’s first female medallists in the sport in 1994. Until this point all Shooting events had been open to both men and women but were segregated by gender for the first time at the Victoria 1994 Games. Shirley won gold and Patricia bronze in the Women’s 50m Prone event before joining forces to win silver in the Pairs. Shirley would go on the become Scotland’s most decorated female athlete at the Games, adding a further two bronze medals to her tally at Kuala Lumpur 1998. She held this title until it was surpassed by her daughter Jen in 2014, Jen’s two medals at those Games bringing her tally to two gold, one silver and two bronze. Younger sister Seonaid carried on the family tradition at Gold Coast 2018 with two bronze medals and has since gone on to become World Champion, a first ever gold for a British women.

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

Scotland’s Commonwealth Champions

After 50m Rifle Prone bronze at the 1974 Christchurch Games, Alister Allan made it gold in the same event four years later to become Scotland’s first Commonwealth Games champion in Shooting. He went on to add two gold at the 1982 Brisbane Games, this time in the individual 3 Position event and the Air Rifle Pairs alongside William McNeil. With Arthur Clarke’s win in the Fullbore bringing the gold tally to three, Brisbane remained Scotland’s most successful Games for Shooting until Delhi 2010.

There was no Shooting gold for Scotland at the home Games of Edinburgh 1986, but Ian Marsden and James Dunlop were on top of the Skeet Pairs podium four years later in Auckland. Shirley McIntosh’s 50m Rifle Prone win at Victoria 1994 was a first in the women’s events and was followed by two Games without a Scottish Shooting gold before Sheena Sharp struck gold twice at Melbourne 2006, in the individual 50m Rifle Prone and with Susan Jackson in the Prone Pairs.

Delhi 2010 stands out as Shooting’s best Games performance with four gold, three silver and two bronze medals as Scotland swept the board in the 50m Rifle Prone events. Jonathan Hammond, Neil Stirton, Jen McIntosh and Kay Copland won an incredible four gold medals in the Men’s and Women’s Pairs and Individual competitions, also adding a silver and two bronze between them in the 3 Position events. Silver medals for Angus McLeod and Ian Shaw in Fullbore pairs and for Shona Marshall in the Women’s Trap completed a fantastic Games. No gold once again for the Scots at a home Games as Glasgow 2014 saw a tally of two silver and two bronze, but Flower of Scotland rang out once again at Gold Coast 2018 as David McMath took Double Trap gold in a new Games record.

Team Scotland Shooting Gold Medallists

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

Youth Games Success

At the Commonwealth Youth Games, just as in the main Games, Shooting is an optional sport. It has been included at one Youth Games to date, Pune 2008, where Scottish shooters shone, winning one gold, one silver and two bronze.

Two of Scotland’s most successful future Commonwealth Games competitors hit the podium on their Team Scotland debut with Kay Copland winning gold in the 50m Rifle Prone and Jen McIntosh winning silver in the 50m Rifle 3 Position event. There were also bronze medals for Rory McAlpine in the Men’s 50m Rifle Prone and for Ben Wilson in the Clay Target Skeet.

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 Scotland’s women looking for promotion as they host EuroHockey II Championship in Glasgow this summer and our men set for the top flight of European competition for the first time in 12 years, it’s an exciting time for players and spectators alike. To round off our Sport Focus, up your trivia game with these 12 things you might not know about Hockey at the Commonwealth Games and beyond:

1. Historical records show that a crude form of Hockey was played in Egypt 4,000 years ago and various museum sources suggest that a form of the game was played by the Romans, Greeks and Aztecs. The modern game developed in the mid-18^th century and the first Hockey Association was created in the UK in 1876.

2. Hockey is one of a number of core sports at the Commonwealth Games, making its debut in 1998. Scotland sent a women’s team who missed out on a place in the medal matches only on goal difference. Scotland’s men made their debut at Melbourne 2006, finishing 7th. The best Scottish result in Hockey to date was 5th for the women’s team at Melbourne 2006. The men’s side scored their best result to date at Gold Coast 2018, finishing 6^th.

3. Australia has dominated the sport at the Commonwealth Games with their men winning every gold medal to date and their women winning four gold, one silver and one bronze. Only six nations have ever won a Commonwealth Games hockey medal: Australia, India, England and New Zealand who have won medals in both men’s and women’s events plus Malaysia and Pakistan in the men’s event only.

4. Scotland Men’s Hockey team are the only Scotland team ever to win a Summer Olympic Medal. They won a Bronze Medal in London in 1908, beating Germany 4-0 in their first match.

5. A total of 23 Scots have won Olympic Medals for Hockey, more than any other sport.

6. After its introduction in 1908, Hockey was next included at the 1920 Olympic Games. It was also on the programme for 1928 and has been included ever since. Women’s Hockey made its Olympic debut at Moscow 1980.

7. Played in more than 100 countries, Hockey is one of the most popular sports in the world. Participation numbers show that Hockey is played by as many girls and women as by boys and men.

8. Hockey is proud of being an inclusive, family sport with brothers David and Alan Forsyth playing at the Gold Coast coached by their dad Derek ( Lynne, their mum is also a former internationalist). Brother and sister Willie Marshall and Kareena Cuthbert (Marshall) were on their respective teams for the Gold Coast.

9. Before the invention of specific hockey balls, Hockey was played with cricket balls. It was often the job of the youngest player to paint the ball white before the start of the game.

10. The First Women’s World Cup was held in Edinburgh in 1975. The World Cup Trophy has a thistle design to commemorate its Scottish roots.

11. Scotland have played international matches at Hampden, Murrayfield, Celtic Park and Wembley, with one game at Wembley attracting over 60,000 spectators.

12. Scotland Men first defeated England in 1912. The England Captain was so upset that he threw his stick into the fire at the team hotel!

Find out more about the sport in the Commonwealth Games on our dedicated Hockey page and look out for our next sport focus as we profile each of the 25 sports to have featured since the Games began in 1930.

Scotland’s most-capped hockey player Rhona Toft (nee Simpson) has represented her country over 280 times and is now sharing her vast experience with others, both as a PE teacher and as Chair of the Commonwealth Games Federation Athletes’ Advisory Commission.

From first trying the sport at school as a 12 year old, through three Commonwealth Games, two Olympic Games and two World Cups, she looks back at the highlights of over 20 years at international level, particularly Kuala Lumpur 1998 – a first Commonwealth Games for both herself and for Hockey.

Now synonymous with Hockey as one of the best players Scotland has ever produced, it could all have been very different if she had chosen to pursue her other sporting passion – Show Jumping. Incredibly, it wasn’t until after she had competed at her first Olympic Games, Atlanta 1996, that she made the final decision – that it was Hockey she would focus all her energy on.

“For a long time, up until I was 21, I combined the two sports and both at international level,” she says. “It was a tough juggling act at times to keep both going, but where there’s a will there’s a way. I didn’t ride for a year before Atlanta, in case I got injured, but up until that point It was just a matter of trying to juggle both, which was pretty full on. Between 18 and 21 I was still competing in Show Jumping, but not as frequently, and then when I became more involved with the GB hockey squad I had to give it up then.”

By the time Hockey made its Commonwealth Games debut at Kuala Lumpur 1998, as team sports were included for the first time, her decision was made. With it came the first opportunity to represent Scotland at a multi-sport event and bringing team sports into the Games was a move Rhona believes made a huge impact, not just on Hockey and the other team sports, but on the dynamics of the Games themselves.

“Kuala Lumpur fell in between my two Olympics – Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000 – so it was a pretty hectic time. It was massive to be involved in the Games and with the other sports which, up to that point, we hadn’t been. I was still probably one of the youngest in the Scotland squad, even though I’d been to Atlanta. It was good to be able to bring that multi-Games experience but it was quite different because it was the first Commonwealths to include team sports. Within Scotland, and within your own team it’s a phenomenal feeling when you hear the national anthem, as it is when you’re playing for Great Britain, but it’s a different feeling. Playing for Scotland with your team mates that you played with week in and week out at club level was always special.

“I think bringing the team sports into Team Scotland for the first time also changed the dynamic of the overall team, when it had always been just individual sports and we were this big massive squad, I think it was quite different for Team Scotland. It was great fun to mix with all your fellow Scots and be part of that bigger team as well.

“It was just the sheer scale of it at that time. I remember we were in one of the wee cafes and Jonah Lomu was there. At that point he was a massive rugby star and you’re in the same place and talking to these people, when normally you’d just see them on the telly.  Also experiencing a different country and culture, I hadn’t been to Malaysia until that point so it was quite different.

“The competition itself was really tight. We had a penalty against India and they saved the penalty, otherwise we would have gone through into the bronze medal play offs. So overall it was a little bit disappointing, but it wasn’t too bad for our first major Games experience, which was so different from a normal hockey tournament. Kuala Lumpur has great memories and it was great fun.”

Two further Commonwealth Games, Manchester 2002 and Melbourne 2006, followed and Rhona has no doubt about the importance of the Games for the sport in Scotland.

“It’s a massive thing for the sport to be part of the Commonwealth Games because it gives people an opportunity, for a lot of Scotland players the only opportunity they get to experience a multi-sport event. Very few have gone on to experience the Olympics so, in terms of Scottish athletes, it is the pinnacle of most of their playing careers. If Hockey hadn’t been included, the game would never have developed the way it has. The inspiration of playing in a Commonwealth Games has attracted more people to the sport and the funding from sportscotland that comes from playing on that higher level has really moved the game forward.”

After retiring from the international game, she is now focused on the next generation of athletes, as Director of Sport at The Glasgow Academy and in helping direct the future of the Commonwealth Games as Chair of the CGF Athletes’ Advisory Commission.

“My job teaching is great because you’re still involved, helping kids, and you hope you inspire some of them to do their best. Staying involved with the Commonwealth Games, chairing the Athletes’ Advisory Commission for the Commonwealth Games Federation  is also important to me. Having chaired the Athletes’ Advisory Committee for Glasgow 2014, it’s great to still be involved but on a completely different level and see how things are done behind the scenes. It’s nice still to have a connection at that level and I think the Commonwealth Games always has a special place when you’ve been involved with it for so long.”

First introduced to the Commonwealth Games in 1998, Hockey has quickly cemented its place and is now a core sport that must be included in each Games. While Team Scotland is yet to win a medal in any team sport, our Hockey players have impressed right from the women’s 5th place on their debut in 1998 to the men’s best ever result last year in Gold Coast. Here are the top three performances from Scottish teams as we look back on 20 years of Commonwealth Games Hockey:

Melbourne 2006 – Best Women’s Result and Men’s Debut

Scotland’s women secured their best ever finish of 5th place at Melbourne 2006. While they had also finished 5th on their debut eight years previously, there had been no classification matches at those Games, meaning they were awarded 5th equal rather than 5th place outright. In Melbourne Vikki Bunce was one of the top scorers of the tournament, scoring five times to equal the tally of New Zealand’s Krystal Forgesson and Nicole Hudson, Olympic gold medallist with Australia. Scotland finished 3rd in Pool B behind New Zealand and England and a 3-0 win over Malaysia in the classification matches gave them 5th place, with Rhona Simpson, Linda Clement and Emma Rochlin the scorers.

Scotland men made their Games debut in Melbourne, qualifying for the first time. They were drawn in a tough Pool A with New Zealand, England, Australia and Canada. A 2-0 win over Canada, followed by a 2-1 victory over South Africa in the classification matches gave them 7th place, to finish two places above their ranking going into the tournament. Two players, Niall Stott and captain Mike Leonard, celebrated their 100th caps on the opening match of the Games.

Gold Coast 2018 – Best Ever Men’s Finish

Scotland’s men took an outstanding victory in the 2017 EuroHockey Challenge II and went into the Games set on bettering their eighth place finish from Glasgow 2014. There was a wealth of experience in the squad with Kenny Bain, Alan Forsyth,William Marshall and Gordon McIntyre all selected for their third Games and a further four players returning from Glasgow 2014. The men got their Commonwealth Games off to a flying start with a 4-2 victory over South Africa in Pool A, before also facing Canada, New Zealand and Australia.Despite best efforts, they too succumbed to some top class opposition, but as a result of a better goal difference they finished third in their Pool and faced Malaysia in a play-off for fifth / sixth. Alan Forsyth took the lead for Team Scotland when he scored on 10 minutes;but Malaysia, ranked 11 places above them in the world rankings, didn’t take long to equalise and then went ahead in the second half. 2-1 to Malaysia was the final score, however sixth place represents Scotland’s best ever finish in Men’s Hockey.

After qualification for the World League semi-finals in 2017 and a successful test series against Wales, the women’s side were looking to build on their sixth place in Glasgow. 12 players made their Games debut, while five returned from the Glasgow 2014 side, along with defender Kareena Cuthbert, whose last Games appearance was Delhi 2010.The women had a difficult start to their campaign, with a heavy defeat against New Zealand, and then a draw against Canada. Things picked up with a 5-0 win over Ghana, before losing their final match in Pool B to Australia to finish fourth in their Pool. They fought hard in their classification match against Malaysia to win the game 4-2 and finish the competition in seventh place.

Kuala Lumpur 1998 – Scotland Women 5th on Debut

Hockey made its Commonwealth Games debut in 1998 as team sports were introduced to the Games for the first time. Scotland’s sole team – the women’s side – were drawn in Pool A alongside India, Australia, Malaysia, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica. After a heavy loss to eventual gold medal winners Australia in the opening match, Scotland rallied well with a 5-1 win over Jamaica and 2-1 wins over both Malaysia and Trinidad & Tobago. Their final group game, against India, ended in a 2-2 draw, meaning both sides ended the group stages on 10 points but India advanced to the medal matches on goal difference.

Hockey are hitting the ground running for Team Scotland Sport Focus as they start their time in the spotlight today with the first of five women’s test matches against Canada. This test series at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre from 15-21 May kicks off a huge summer for Scotland’s women as they prepare for the Hockey Series Finals in Dublin followed by the EuroHockey Championship II back on home soil in August where they will be looking for promotion back to the top flight.

Scotland’s men also have a busy summer ahead having won four of their five qualifying matches to take their place at June’s Hockey Series finals in France. 2018 also saw the men’s side take an outstanding win at EuroHockey Championship II and they will take their place among the top eight European nations in Belgium from 16-25 August.

As part of our ‘Celebrating Our Past, Building Our Future’ theme, each month Team Scotland are putting one or two sports in the Sport Focus spotlight, featuring all 25 sports in which Scotland has competed in the Commonwealth Games.

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

Hockey at the Commonwealth Games

Hockey made its Commonwealth Games debut at Kuala Lumpur 1998 and, as a core sport, has appeared at each Games since. Australia have dominated the sport, winning every men’s gold medal to date and four out of six possible women’s titles.

At the sport’s first Games in 1998 Scotland sent a women’s team, who played brilliantly, winning three of their five group games. A 2-2 draw with India in their final group game saw them just miss out on a semi-final place on goal difference. While classification games were not played in 1998, this remains one of the women’s side’s best ever finishes, along with 5th place at Melbourne 2006 where they beat Malaysia 3-0 in the fifth/sixth place play-off.

Scotland’s men made their Games debut at Melbourne 2006, where they finished 7th after a win over South Africa in the classification play-offs. A great performance at Gold Coast 2018 saw them better that result, taking 6th place for their best finish in Commonwealth Games history.

Hockey was also included at the first Commonwealth Youth Games in Edinburgh, the sport’s only appearance at the Youth Games to date. That Youth Games team included Vikki Bunce who went on to win 206 caps for Scotland and play at three Commonwealth Games: 2006, 2010 and 2014.

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

From double medal success on the sport’s Commonwealth Games debut to World Doubles and European Team medals in recent years, Scottish Squash remains a key player in he international game. To round off our Sport Focus, here are 12 things you might not know about Squash at the Commonwealth Games and beyond:

1. Squash is played by more than 25 million people on nearly 50,000 courts in 185 countries around the world.

2. Squash is a core sport that must be included at every Commonwealth Games and made its Commonwealth Games debut in 1998 where Scotland won one gold and one bronze medal.

3. Squash has also made two Commonwealth Youth Games appearances – at the inaugural Games in 2000 in Edinburgh and at Samoa 2015.

4. Squash was first played at Harrow School in the mid 1800s and developed from the game of Rackets, popular at the time.

5. As the sport grew, the spread to a global audience was personified by Hashim Khan. Born in a small village in Pakistan he went from unofficial ball boy at the local British Officer’s Club to local squash pro to winning the 1951 British Open, the most prestigious competition in the world at that time.

6. Eye protection is mandatory for all players in Squash doubles matches and players on each team must wear matching outfits.

7. The name Squash comes from the ‘squashing’ of the rubber ball against the wall – softer than the hard ball used in its sister game Rackets.

8. Squash balls are unique in that they need to be ‘warmed up’ by hitting for a few minutes before play begins.

9. The Titanic had a squash court and the professional, Fred Wright, went down with the ship.

10. Prince Philip played Squash while Queen Elizabeth II was in labour with Prince Charles.

11. Squash was voted the World’s healthiest sport to play by Forbes magazine based on endurance, strength, flexibility, calories burned and risk of injury.

12. Scotland’s Alan Clyne and Greg Lobban won World Doubles gold in 2016 and followed up with silver in 2017.

Find out more about the sport in the Commonwealth Games on our dedicated Squash page and look out for our next sport focus as we profile each of the 25 sports to have featured since the Games began in 1930.

Scotland have won two medals in Commonwealth Games Squash to date and both came as the sport made its Games debut at Kuala Lumpur 1998. Four men and two women took to the court for Scotland at these first Games: Peter Nicol, Stuart Cowie, Martin Heath, David Heath, Claire Waddell and Senga Macfie.

In the Men’s Singles, Peter Nicol comfortably beat Graham Ryding of Canada, followed by England’s Mark Chaloner and Mark Johnson in the quarter- and semi-finals respectively to set up an intriguing  final against long-time rival, Canada’s Jonathan Power. The final did not disappoint, proving to be a thrilling five game epic. It was Power who scored first blood, taking the opening game 9-2, before Nicol hit back to win the next two games. Power took the fourth to level the score but Nicol prevailed in the fifth, taking it 9-2 to become the first ever Commonwealth Games Men’s Singles champion.

Following Nicol’s Singles triumph, he partnered Stuart Cowie to bronze in the Men’s Doubles, losing only to eventual winners England, for Scotland’s second Squash medal of the Games. It was another victory over Canada and Jonathan Power as the Scots dominated their quarter-final match 15-3, 15-7 over Power and his partner Graham Ryding. The Scottish pairing pushed the English duo of Johnson and Chaloner close in the semi-finals but could not quite find enough to make the gold medal match and had to settle for bronze.

Nicol went on to win a further three gold and one silver at the Commonwealth Games for England, including Singles gold at Melbourne 2006, after switching allegiance before the Manchester 2002 Games.

While gold and bronze from Kuala Lumpur 1998 remain Scotland’s only Commonwealth Games medals to date, they have not been far from the podium in subsequent Games. With three agonisingly close 4th place finishes in Men’s Doubles at the last three outings, Scotland will be looking to Birmingham 2022 to put Scottish Squash back on the podium at the Commonwealth Games.

The European Team Championships were a happy hunting ground for Scotland’s squash players as the men’s team beat top seeds and defending champions France to claim a podium place and the women scored a huge upset to finish 4^th, their best placing since 2005.

Scotland excelled, over four intense days of action at the Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham, with several notable wins over higher ranked opposition.

Greg Lobban’s superb five game win over world number 16 Gregoire Marche and Alan Clyne’s devastatingly clinical dispatch of Lucas Serme (WR41) in three, paved the way to victory over France in the bronze medal match.

22 year old Rory Stewart, ranked 153 in the world, was instrumental in the team’s success, pulling off sensational victories over two French players ranked inside the world top 100. He took a five game thriller against Baptiste Masotti (WR61) in the group stages and followed up with a win over Victor Crouin (WR73) in the bronze medal match. Scotland debutant Angus Gillams gave the men’s squad added depth and pulled off an important five game win over Germany’s Yannik Omlor in the opening group match to set the team up for a shot at the medals.

While the men replicated their medal success of 2016, it was the women who sprung the biggest surprise on their opposition. Promoted into the top division just last year and bottom ranked of the eight teams, they played superbly to qualify out of their group and make the semi-finals for the first time in 14 years.

The team were led by Scottish No. 1 Lisa Aitken, who played great squash against opposition ranked inside the top 10 in the world and scored a significant victory over world number 32 Milou van der Heijden in Scotland’s vital group-stage win over the Netherlands.

The rest of the young squad also stepped up to the plate with teenager Georgia Adderley stunning world number 46 Melissa Alves in the semi-finals, winning 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 2-11, 13-11 against the French player. She also scored a win over Holland’s Tessa ter Sluis (WR75) 11-8, 13-11, 10-12, 11-9 in the group stages, while Alison Thomson’s victory over Welsh player Elin Harlow proved significant in the push for the semi-finals.

Scottish Squash National Coach Paul Bell was full of praise for his players:

“Every one of the players performed unbelievably well,” he said.

“In the past we have got really close and just fallen short at the final hurdle. This week seemed to be different and we have done a lot of work on the mental side of the game. The work paid off because every single time we have been in a tough situation we have managed to get over the line which has been the best thing from my point of view.

“We have always had the ability and talent to compete with these players. It’s one thing to compete with them but it’s a completely different thing to beat them. We feel the players are better than the world rankings suggest but you have got to get the results to prove it and this week they have certainly shown that.”

“The players came into this event with a completely different mindset and I think that’s a by-product of all of the work we do on a day-to-day basis. You instil that belief they belong on this stage and they weren’t scared to make things happen. All credit to them because they got their just rewards this week.”

Team Scotland’s Sport Focus on Squash has an action packed start as Scotland’s top players line up at the European Team Championships which begin today in Birmingham.

Having secured promotion to the top division last year, the Scottish women’s team begin their campaign with a tough match against top seeds and eight-time defending champions England. Leading the team as Scotland’s No. 1 is Lisa Aitken who is in the form of her life with numerous wins on the PSA World Tour, including her first victory in a $10k event in Delaware in January. She is joined by a trio of young players: Alison Thomson, who made her Commonwealth Games debut last year in Gold Coast; reigning British Junior champion Georgia Adderley and Scottish Universities champion Katriona Allen.

Scotland’s men’s team of Greg Lobban, Alan Clyne, Angus Gillams, Rory Stewart, Stuart George and Chris Leiper also have a tricky opening match as they face long-time rivals Germany in what could prove to be a decisive result in reaching the semi-finals and medal play-offs. Germany have won bronze in five of the last seven European Team Championships, with Scotland defeating them in 2016 to win their first European Team medal for 13 years. With top seeds and defending champions France also in Pool A, Scotland will have to be at their best to replicate their medal winning feat.

You can follow the progress of both men’s and women’s teams on Scottish Squash’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels.

As part of our ‘Celebrating Our Past, Building Our Future’ theme, each month Team Scotland are putting one or two sports in the Sport Focus spotlight, featuring all 25 sports in which Scotland has competed in the Commonwealth Games.

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

Squash at the Commonwealth Games

Squash first appeared on the Commonwealth Games programme at Kuala Lumpur 1998 and, as a core sport, has appeared at each Games since. Australia top the all-time medal table with 11 gold medals and have won every discipline on the programme at least once with the exception of the Men’s Singles event.

Scotland have won two Squash medals to date, both coming at the 1998 Games. At these first Games for Squash, Scotland was represented by Peter Nicol, Stuart Cowie, Martin Heath, David Heath, Claire Waddell and Senga Macfie, with Nicol winning the Men’s Singles title, coming back from a game down to beat Jonathon Power of Canada in the final. He then teamed up with Cowie to take bronze in the Men’s Doubles.

While these remain Scotland’s only Commonwealth Games medals to date, there have been several near misses, including three fourth place finishes in a row for Alan Clyne in the Men’s Doubles, first with Harry Leitch in 2010 and 2014 and then with Greg Lobban in 2018. Leading into the Gold Coast Games Clyne and Lobban had medal success at the World Doubles Championships, winning gold in 2016 and silver in 2017.

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

Team Scotland has a proud history in Aquatics at the Commonwealth Games with our swimmers and divers winning medals at every Games with the exception of 1978 and 1990. To round off our Sport Focus, here are 12 things you might not know about Aquatics at the Commonwealth Games:

1. Aquatics is Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Games sport with an all-time medal total of 94 ahead of Athletics on 75 and Boxing on 65. This places Scotland 5^th on the all-time Commonwealth Games Aquatics medal table behind Australia, Canada, England and South Africa.

2. Swimming is a core sport in the Commonwealth Games, meaning it must be included on the sports programme, while Diving, Synchronised Swimming and Open Water Swimming are optional sports. Despite Diving being an optional sport, it has been included, along with Swimming, at every Games since they began in 1930.

3. Peter Heatly is Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Games athlete in Aquatics with three gold, one silver and one bronze in Diving, won between 1950 and 1958. Grace Reid is Scotland’s only female Diving medallist to date with gold at Gold Coast 2018.

4. Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Games swimmer is Elenor Gordon with three gold and one bronze medal won at the Auckland 1950 and Vancouver 1954 Games. David Carry is Scotland’s top male swimmer with two gold, two silver and one bronze won at Melbourne 2006 and Delhi 2010.

5. Gold Coast 2018 saw Duncan Scott become the most decorated Scottish athlete at a single Games as he claimed one gold, one silver and four bronze at the Gold Coast Aquatics Centre. His gold in the 100m Freestyle was Scotland’s first ever in this event.

6. Also at Gold Coast 2018, James Heatly won 1m Springboard bronze, Scotland’s first diving medal since his grandfather in 1958. Grace Reid then won gold in the same event for Scotland’s first diving gold for 60 years and a first ever medal in the women’s diving events.

7. Aquatics can claim Team Scotland’s youngest ever Commonwealth Games medallist with 13 year old Erraid Davies taking bronze in the Para-Sport SB9 100m Breaststroke at Glasgow 2014.

8. Synchronised Swimming has been included in the Commonwealth Games on seven occasions with Canada the top nation, winning all 15 gold medals contested. Scotland’s Lauren Smith won bronze at Delhi 2010 in the solo event.

9. 18 year old Scott McLay became Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Youth Games athlete in history, winning three gold, one silver and one bronze at Bahamas 2017. He has made an immediate step up into the senior team, winning bronze in the 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay at Gold Coast 2018.

10. Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Pool is the only venue ever to be used at three Commonwealth Games (1970, 1986 and 2014). It also hosted the Swimming events at the 2000 Commonwealth Youth Games.

11. The Butterfly stroke used to be considered only a legitimate variation of Breaststroke. At Sydney 1938, English swimmer John G Davies won the 220 yards Breaststroke event and broke the existing record by using what was later to become known as the Butterfly with the result that the record established by Davies was to stand until 1958.

12. The Edinburgh 1970 Games were the first to be measured in metres rather than yards. David Wilkie was Scotland’s only Aquatics medallist with bronze in the 200m Breaststroke. He went on to win two gold and a silver four years later in Christchurch and Olympic gold and silver at the Montreal 1976 Games.

Find out more about the sport in the Commonwealth Games on our dedicated Aquatics page and look out for our next sport focus as we profile each of the 25 sports to have participated since the Games began in 1930.