Scots athletics star Eilidh Doyle is thrilled to see Glasgow stepping up to host another Commonwealth Games – and said the city’s success has had a huge impact on the sport’s development in Scotland.
The 400m Olympic and Commonwealth medallist was one of the stars of Glasgow 2014 and said there’s nothing like competing in a home games.
The Perth-born runner is thrilled to be a part of Glasgow 2026 as an analyst for TV broadcaster TNT Sports HBO Max, and said she can’t wait to see how the next generation of Scots athletes get on when the track and field events kick off this week.
She said: “The Commonwealth Games is an amazing competition. I'm just so glad it's back, and that Glasgow are getting to host it again and that it's still going ahead. It makes me really delighted.
“Off the back of 2014, Glasgow and Scotland showed they can put on these really big sporting events and they can be really successful. This is another example of being able to step in when we were needed and be able to do that.
“When you get to watch people compete from Team Scotland, and they're from Glasgow, or they're from Perth, or Dundee, you think ‘That's where I'm from’. You can relate to them - that's really special as well.
“All the athletes have committed to it and they've all said we want to target this, so for anybody watching it’s going to be really special to see these great athletes compete in the flesh.”
Glasgow 2014 came at the peak of Eilidh’s career – she had just come off the highs of the London 2012 Olympics and was a European champion in the hurdles. She then went on to win an Olympic bronze medal in the relay at Rio 2016.
Eilidh, now 39, admits the memories of a Scottish games, including captaining the Team Scotland athletics team and winning a silver in 400m hurdles, are hard to beat.
“My personal highlight was obviously being able to do a lap of honour. That was so special because all my friends and family were there.
“If I was a fan, the most iconic memory I have from 2014 was the very first night when Hannah Miley won in the pool and her on the podium singing ‘Flower of Scotland’ and crying.
“I remember watching that and feeling really emotional, but then probably the most iconic memory was Ross Murdoch winning in the pool that same night, and just his face when it dawned on him what he'd just achieved. Those memories stick with me and I’m sure we’ll have that in these Games as well. Big memories which stay with people.”
With the whole country tuning in to watch the next generation of Scots heroes, Eilidh believes the success of Glasgow 2014 has had a big influence on inspiring new talent.
She said: “I don't think it's coincidence that off the back of that we saw a resurgence in Scottish athletics, and even athletes that were there in the crowd watching who were inspired by what they were seeing there and that had a real impact.
“It was also good timing because we had the London Olympics in 2012 and then Glasgow followed in 2014 and everybody was just loving sport, so I think it had a massive impact.”
With new star Scots like mile record breaker Josh Kerr ready to take to the track and inspire a further wave of sport Scots, Eilidh has predicted an exciting meet for all the Scots taking on their Commonwealth counterparts from across the world.
Following the sad withdrawal of reigning 10,000m champ Eilish McColgan to injury, all Scots eyes will be on Kerr, fresh from his historic win earlier this summer.
She said: “From a Scotland point of view, I think the men's mile is the big event that we're looking at.
“Obviously, we're used to the 1500 meters, so even just the kind of iconic (status) of the mile being the event this time and there being several Scottish athletes in contention, as well as the Kenyan athletes. And of course the Aussies are going to have something to say in the outcome. I think it’s going to be a really exciting race.”
In her own former discipline of the women’s 400m hurdles, she believes English runner Emily Newham could be the next star in waiting.
“Personally, I think the women's 400m hurdles with Emily Newham from Team England will be a really interesting one. She's just coming off the back of setting a new PB, running sub 54 for the first time, so she's in great form going into this.
“From my point of view, winning my first 400m hurdles medals at the Commonwealth Games 2010, I think this could be a really good starting point for her.”
The final ticket drop is on sale now. Fans are encouraged not to miss out and get their hands on their tickets today, available at glasgow2026.com/tickets
