Friday 10 October 2008
On one of the busiest days of the year at Glasgow Airport, most people were heading off on holiday for the October break. But for 44 young Scots it was the start of the trip of a lifetime, selected to represent their country at the III Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India (12-18 October 2008).
Pune 2008 is the first Youth Games to which all 71 Commonwealth countries have been invited to take part with 351 medals to be won across nine sports: athletics, badminton, boxing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling.
Based on previous Youth Games results, it is anticipated that many of the Scottish athletes, all of whom are 18 years of age or under, who compete and win medals in Pune will go on to compete for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010 and Glasgow 2014 when they should be at their competitive peak.
Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon MSP was there to see the team off and to wish them luck, accompanied by Commonwealth Games Scotland Chief Executive, Jon Doig.
Commenting, Jon said: “l am confident that we have selected an outstanding Youth Games Team to compete in Pune and it is fantastic to see the length and breadth of Scotland represented from Troon to Aberdeen to The Isle of Islay.
“Whilst winning medals is important, the major benefit of the Commonwealth Youth Games is exposing young athletes to this level of competition in a multi-sport environment. It is the ideal preparation event for future senior Commonwealth Games and I am sure their experience at these Youth Games will inspire many of them to go on to compete successfully in Delhi in 2010 and particularly Glasgow in 2014.”
The team is travelling to India with Emirates via Dubai and Denise Holmes, Sales Manager (Scotland) for Emirates Airline, was also there to see the team off and said: “Emirates is delighted to be the official Airline for the Commonwealth Youth Games Team travelling to Pune.
“Everyone at Emirates would like to take this opportunity to wish all of the team the best of luck at the Games.”
The team is also being supported by Clydesdale Bank and adding their best wishes Steve Reid, Retail Director of Clydesdale Bank said: “We recognise the dedication and commitment of these athletes and their significant achievement in being selected. We are proud to support the team in their endeavours and everyone at Clydesdale Bank wishes them all the best for the Games.”
The team will return to Glasgow on Monday 20 October 2008.
COMMONWEALTH YOUTH GAMES ATHLETES, PUNE 2008
Athletics (10)
*Lisa Glover, Glenrothes
Caitlyn Mackie, Airth
Eilish McColgan, Carnoustie
Myra Perkins, Falkirk
Beth Potter, Bearsden, Glasgow, WSIS
Lynsey Sharp, Edinburgh, TFIS
Daniel Carlin, Barrhead
Chris O’Hare, West Linton
Calum Innes, Bearsden, Glasgow
Callum Sharp, Bishopbriggs, Glasgow
Badminton (4)
*Martin Campbell, Edinburgh, ESIS
Angus Gilmour, Troon, WSIS
Craig Pollock, Longniddry, ESIS
Paul Van Rietvelde, Longniddry, ESIS
Boxing (6)
Sean Finney, Kirkcaldy
Steven McAllister, Aberdeen
Robert McKee, Fauldhouse
Jonathan Slowey, Glasgow
*Ryan Smith, Glasgow
Josh Taylor, Prestonpans
Shooting (5)
Kay Copland, Banff
Catriona McGregor, Aberdeen, GIS
Jennifer McIntosh, Falkirk, CSIS
Rory McAlpine, Lasswade, Midlothian, ESIS
*Ben Wilson, Islay, WSIS
Swimming (10)
Lucy Ellis, Dalgety Bay, ESIS
*Sara Hamilton, Stonehaven
Megan Gilchrist, Bathgate, SIS
Robyn Mathews, Edinburgh, ESIS
Sally Wood, Edinburgh, ESIS
Ewan Johnstone, Edinburgh
Andrew Haslett, Edinburgh, SIS
Iain Scanlon, Shotts, ESIS
Daniel Scott, Glenrothes, SIS
Douglas Scott, Strathaven,WSIS
Table Tennis (2)
Craig Howieson, Edinburgh
*Craig Hardie, Glasgow
Weightlifting (3)
Amy Hamilton, Glasgow
*James Burley, Kilwinning
Dylan Scott, Kilwinning
Wrestling (4)
Gareth Jones, Old Kilpatrick
Keiran Malone, Cumbernauld
Craig McKenna, Clydebank
*Connor Evans, Denny
* Taking part in the team departure photocall.
Athletes supported by: Scottish Institute of Sport (SIS), West of Scotland Institute of Sport (WSIS), Central Scotland Institute of Sport (CSIS), East of Scotland Institute of Sport, Grampian Institute of Sport (GIS), Tayside and Fife Institute of Sport.
Staff (17)
Lisa Allan (Loanhead), General Team Manager
Leslie Roy (Glasgow), Assistant General Team Manager
Brent Deans (Edinburgh), Assistant Team Manager
Dr Alastair Nicol (Dundee), Doctor
Lindsay Thomson (East Linton), Head Physiotherapist
Stephen Mutch (Edinburgh), Physiotherapist
Rob Eyton-Jones (Edinburgh), Press Officer
Hugh Murray (Helensburgh), Athletics Team Leader
Darren Ritchie (Edinburgh), Assistant Athletics Team Leader
Diana Koleva (Glasgow), Badminton Team Leader
David McAllister, (Aberdeen), Boxing Team Leader
Kevin Smith (Liverpool), Boxing Team Coach
Sinclair Bruce, (Linlithgow ), Shooting Team Leader
Ian Wright, (Edinburgh), Swimming Team Leader
Peter Stewart, (East Kilbride), Table Tennis Team Leader
Frank Etherson, (Glasgow), Weightlifting Team Leader
Volodymyr Gladkow, (Glasgow), Wrestling Team Leader
- Pictures of today’s team departure are available from Steve Lindridge, Ideal Images Mobile: 07718 919597.
- Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) is the organisation responsible for selecting and preparing the team to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games.
- CGS is funded through sponsorship and fundraising activities, grant support from sportscotland (£110,000 for 2008) and an Endowment Trust Fund established by the Scottish Government following the 2002 Games. The Endowment fund has contributed £50,000 to Pune preparations.
- The 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games Team is also being supported by Clydesdale Bank. In particular they have been funding an Athlete of the Month / Games competition which gives the winners cash awards to put towards their training.
- Emirates is the official Airline of the Commonwealth Youth Games Team. Emirates flies daily from Glasgow non-stop to Dubai and onwards to over 100 destinations worldwide.
- Scotland hosted the inaugural Commonwealth Youth Games in Edinburgh in 2000 attended by 14 countries. Australia hosted the second Commonwealth Youth Games in Bendigo in 2004 attended by 22 countries.
- In 2000 the Scottish Team won 32 medals including 3 gold.
- In 2004 the Scottish Team won 52 medals including 12 gold.
- Pune 2008 will be the third Commonwealth Youth Games and is the first Games to which all 71 Commonwealth countries have been invited to attend with some 1300 athletes competing. Scotland has therefore a smaller representation than at previous Youth Games.