Bowls champion Iain McLean says Commonwealth Games pressure is on him and team-mate Stewart Anderson – because they effectively replaced two gold medallists.
Blantyre Miners’ Welfare Indoor Bowling Club star McLean and Anderson have been drafted into the squad, while double 2018 gold medallists Derek Oliver and Ronnie Duncan didn’t make the cut.
Iain, 38, from Lesmahagow, says that puts pressure on, and also shows how high the selection criteria is.
Debutants Anderson and McLean are joined in the squad with Motherwell’s Caroline Brown, Alex ‘Tattie’ Marshall MBE, Paul Foster MBE, Darren Burnett, Claire Johnston, Lauren Baillie-Whyte, Dee Hoggan and Hannah Smith.
Iain said: “There’s always pressure, in terms of representing Scotland, because Scotland is highly regarded as one of the best nations in the world, so you’re expected to do well and be at the top end of things.
“Myself and Stewart, to a degree, we’ve got in the team at the expense of two guys who won two gold medals in 2018 in the Gold Coast, so it’s an indication of just how tough selection is and how competitive things are.
“That’s an added aspect that people will be saying straight away, if me and Stewart weren’t to medal.
“They would be saying ‘hold on’, so there’s pressure on us straight away to do well and continue the good form that the team has had.
“Winning a medal would be everything for me. It would certainly be a massive highlight in my career.
“The two guys who played in 2018 did well, did great, but aren’t selected now, so you’re not guaranteed any more chances if you weren’t successful this time around.
“I’m hoping to do well, but to medal... I’d be over the moon to get a gold, but any sort of medal would be massive – just to stand on the podium with Scotland colours around you.”
Ian, who also represents Blackwood Victoria Lawn Bowling Club, added: “Playing for Scotland has always been massive for me, so to be selected for what is the biggest event is huge.
“This is my first Commonwealth Games. I played 2016 World Championships but didn’t make it into the 2018 Commonwealth Games, so I’m delighted to be in this time around.
“I play with Stewart at Blantyre Indoor, he’s a good friend of mine, and Caroline Brown I’ve known for a number of years as well.
“The rest of the guys I’ve played in and around or against them for a number of years, and in the national team and national championships.
“It’s a good, close group and good guys to be going with.”
Preparation hasn’t exactly been ideal for McLean and his squad-mates, but he says that the coaches have done remarkably well to get on events that they did.
He said: “It has certainly been different.
“Fair play to the coaches who did well last summer arranging as many test events against the home nations as they could, so we have done a lot, but it hasn’t been as busy as normal.
“Just generally, bowls has been hit quite hard over the last two summers.
“Our own national association hasn’t run National Championships, our own county in Lanarkshire haven’t run anything either for two seasons due to Covid, so it has been different.
“There hasn’t been the same level of competition, but, fingers crossed, if things can ease off, we can have a bit more normality this year in the lead-up to the Games.”
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