Team Scotland athletes will complete their final preparations for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games at the University of Stirling before heading to the Athlete’s Village in Glasgow.
The University of Stirling, recognised as Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence by the Scottish Government and home of Commonwealth Games Scotland, will again provide the base for final Team Scotland preparations after hosting Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games Preparation Camps since 2006.
After athletes and support staff from all 17 Sports gather on 5 and 6 July for final instructions and distribution of team clothing, the Team Scotland Preparation Camp gets underway from Monday 7 July, with athletes from 11 of the 17 sports on the Glasgow 2014 programme attending.
Earlier this month, Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) announced the selection of 310 athletes, making it the largest ever Team Scotland to compete at a Commonwealth Games. Around 125 athletes and 40 support staff will be based on the Stirling campus, from: Hockey, Judo, Lawn Bowls, Netball, Rugby Sevens, Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Triathlon, Para-Sport Powerlifting and Wrestling.
They will enjoy unique access to the wide range of available sports facilities, including the 50m swimming pool at the National Swimming Academy; the 400m athletics track and a state-of-the-art fitness suite with performance strength and conditioning areas. Athletes will stay on campus and access dedicated leisure areas ahead of the transition into the Glasgow 2014 Athletes’ Village.
Some 19 Stirling students and alumni have been selected for Team Scotland, including nine swimmers and triathlete Natalie Milne, a Sports Coaching student who currently competes in World Series and World Cup competitions.
Milne, who will compete in the Mixed Triathlon Relay, said: “The University provides the perfect location to prepare for the start line at Glasgow 2014. This will be my first Commonwealth Games, but from my experience of competing at World Cup and World Series events I know how important the final preparations are and I’m sure the Stirling campus will prove popular with all the athletes coming here.”
”Professor Gerry McCormac, Principal & Vice-Chancellor of the University of Stirling, said: “The University of Stirling is proud to host Team Scotland’s Preparation Camp in July ahead of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Our sports campus has been the venue for Team Scotland’s training camp for the last three Commonwealth Games and for the Commonwealth Youth Games, and we are honoured to open our doors again to Commonwealth Games Scotland, this time with the added excitement of the Queen’s Baton coming to the University. As Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence, we understand the importance of creating the right environment for our athletes ahead of what will be for many competing, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of a Home Games.”
Jon Doig, Commonwealth Games Scotland Chief Executive and Team Chef de Mission, said: “The Pre-Games Preparation Camp is a vital date in our diary, bringing all selected athletes together and helping them to prepare for the major games environment. We are delighted to hold it once again at the University of Stirling, which has everything we need to make Team Scotland feel at home.”
Meet the athletes from the University of Stirling competing at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games at: www.stir.ac.uk/glasgow2014
Follow Team Scotland at www.goscotland.org
Notes for editors
- Background information
Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence
First Minister Alex Salmond designated the University of Stirling as Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence in 2008. Our mission is to deliver the best for Scottish sport through the powerful and inspirational combination of sport and education. We are at the heart of Scottish sport, preparing athletes to perform on the world stage, enabling students to develop their skill sets for excellent careers and producing innovative research to improve the health of the nation. Our sport-centred campus brings together the people shaping Scottish sport, creating a critical mass of sporting expertise and excellence.www.stir.ac.uk/sport-at-stirling
Commonwealth Games Scotland
Commonwealth Games Scotland is the lead body for Commonwealth sport in Scotland and is the organisation responsible for selecting, preparing and managing Scotland’s team at the Commonwealth Games. Working closely with Scotland’s national governing bodies of sport and the sportscotland institute of sport, Commonwealth Games Scotland aims to have the best prepared team possible at every Games, creating the right performance environment and giving athletes every opportunity to excel at the Games.For further information please contact:
David Christie, Public Relations Officer, University of Stirling
T: 01786 466653 M: 07973 198230
E: david.christie1@stir.ac.uk