Athletes receive funding for Commonwealth Games preparation

Thursday 24 February 2005

With just over a year to go until the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia sportscotland is delighted to announce funding totalling £216,978.22 to the sports of men’s bowls, target shooting and athletics to help athletes prepare for this major competition.

The Scottish Bowling Association (SBA) have received £25,000 to provide support for training and competition costs for the senior men’s squad from which the Scottish team for the Commonwealth Games will be selected in September.

The team enjoyed a successful 2004 World Championships at Northfield, Ayr where they achieved a gold medal in the triples event, silver in the singles event and won the overall team award.

Commonwealth Games training for squad members has begun at the Stirling Indoor Bowling Club. The squad will size down to six players for the Games so each member will be aspiring to do well in forthcoming competitions such as the British Isles International in Belfast, in July.

Following his record-equalling third world indoor singles title at Great Yarmouth, rising star Paul Foster will be a strong contender for Scotland in the World Singles Champion of Champions in New Zealand in November. Men and ladies singles champions from 44 nations who are members of World Bowls are entitled to enter, making this one of the most prestigious events on the world bowls calendar.

John Armstrong, President, SBA, said: "On behalf of the Scottish Bowling Association I would like to acknowledge the award from sportscotland to assist with the training and costs to our Commonwealth Games squad. I hope we can return from Australia in 2006 with medals and continue our success in international competitions."

The target shooting squad will be hoping to build on their success at the 2002 Games, where they won two silver medals in the women’s 50m rifle prone pairs and men’s individual skeet and a bronze medal in the women’s individual skeet. The £100,000 award to the Scottish Target Shooting Federation will support coaching, training and competition programmes for 35 shooters all vying for selection for the 2006 Games. Results from the Commonwealth Championships in Melbourne in March 2005 will be a good indicator of potential selections and medallists for the 2006 Games.

Shirley McIntosh, High Performance Manager, said: "The Scottish Target Shooting Federation is very pleased with the funding sportscotland has committed to support our preparations for the Commonwealth Games in 2006. We have a good mix of youth and experience in our squad and this funding will help to ensure that we can continue to provide more focused coaching and sport science support to our athletes over the next year."

Finally, Scottish athletes are receiving an interim athlete support investment of £91,978.22 to enable them to continue coaching, training and competition programmes up to the end of March when Scottish Athletics will receive investment across all three sportscotland visions (Achieving Excellence, Developing Potential and Widening Opportunities.)

This is an important competitive year for the athletes as they focus on achieving the necessary qualification to be considered for team selection for the Commonwealth Games. The final opportunity is the Norwich Union World and Commonwealth trials and AAAs in Manchester in July.

Geoff Wightman, Chief Executive, scottishathletics said: "With major events such as the World Championships, Commonwealth Games and European Junior Championships foremost in our athlete's minds this summer it is important for them to be able to prepare thoroughly and professionally if they are to perform at their very best.

"The funding from sportscotland goes a long way towards helping them achieve their aims and should provide a platform from which they can go onto to do Scotland proud on the international stage."

Alastair Dempster, Chairman of sportscotland, said: "All elite athletes aspire to represent their country at major international events such as the Commonwealth Games. The Athlete Support programme demonstrates sportscotland’s commitment to support our elite talent in their training and competition programmes to reach their full potential and achieve on the world stage. I look forward to seeing some of these athletes performing at the 2006 Games, where hopefully they will once again make Scotland proud."