What do athletes think about Glasgow 2026?
Eilish McColgan, Jake Wightman and Kirsty Gilmour spoke about the prospects for Glasgow 2026
- Published
A scaled-back Commonwealth Games is coming to Glasgow in 2026.
Ten sports will be on the reduced programme, meaning it will be a smaller spectacle compared to the last time the event came to Scotland in 2014.
Despite that, many of Scotland's top athletes are in favour of the Games being back in Glasgow, as BBC Sport Scotland discovered.
Joy of representing Scotland
For many, the Commonwealth Games remains the only championships during which they can represent the nation rather than be part of a wider Great Britain team.
Former 1500m world champion Jake Wightman said the loss of that opportunity would be "one of the saddest" things about the Games ceasing to exist.
"We rarely get the chance to and it's always a nice chance for us to give back to Scotland and what they have done to develop us," he added.
Eilish McColgan, a 10,000m gold medallist at the 2022 Games in Birmingham, said it was "incredible" to be part of the 2014 edition in Glasgow.
"I felt proud to be from Scotland - having heard all the athletes from so many different nations say how much they enjoyed coming to Glasgow, the atmosphere and how friendly everyone was," McColgan said.
"There's nothing like having that crowd behind you," said two-time badminton medallist Kirsty Gilmour, whose sport will miss out this time.
And Olympic medal-winning track cyclist Neah Evans revealed the last Glasgow Games was the reason she got into cycling.
"If there hadn’t been a velodrome in Glasgow I probably would have never tried it," she said.
"So I wonder who else could be inspired from the Commonwealth Games coming back?"
Previous format 'just not feasible'
However, athletes are also aware of the context around the event, first held in 1930 as the British Empire Games.
Sitting below world championships and Olympics, and in a changing world, the Commonwealths have diminished in stature.
As such, the slimmed-down plan is the right approach, according to McColgan.
"There needs to be changes made to the current format because at the moment it just isn't feasible," she said.
"It needs to be scaled down. More affordable. And venues need to be re-used. Athletes hosted in empty university accommodations."
Diver Grace Reid, a two-time Commonwealth gold medallist, agrees change is the right approach.
"In this day and age, sport has to diversify to match the climate," the 28-year-old said, speaking before her sport missed the cut for Glasgow 2026.
"We have to think about the athletes but we have to think about the countries that have to fund them."
Gilmour has concerns about the short time frame to organise a Games.
"I just really hope that we have enough time to build that atmosphere and anticipation for the athletes and fans," she said.
"I've got no doubt Commonwealth Games Scotland and the Commonwealth Games Federation will do absolutely everything in their power to make it spectacular.
"They have to organise logistics, venues, personnel, transport etc. I'm hopeful but it's a tough task."
The question of legacy
Murdoch was a surprise gold medallist in the 200m breaststroke in 2014
From a sporting perspective, McColgan thinks the Commonwealth Games play a "really important" role for young Scottish athletes.
The 33-year-old said the event provides an opportunity for them to compete on a lesser stage than the world events while finding their way.
"It bridges the gap and gives athletes the opportunity to experience a multi-event Games before [hopefully] representing Team GB at a global championships," McColgan explained. "It's a great pathway."
Swimmer Ross Murdoch, a breakthrough star in 2014, agreed the Games are an important "stepping stone".
"The Commonwealth Games was the real start to my career," he said.
"It's not a pointless meet on the way to the Olympics. It's an opportunity to preserve something that allows athletes to grow towards something they might never have thought they could achieve."
Wightman, meanwhile, added that children can take inspiration from seeing compatriots compete at home.
"It would be great to keep this moment rolling in Scottish athletics and Scottish sport," he said. "Another generation can be inspired."
Reid believes the benefits are wider than purely sporting.
She said: "They are incredibly important for all those young kids that get to watch some incredible sport and all the benefits that brings to Glasgow - it could be a really exciting prospect."