‘Seeing is believing’ – Eilidh sure Class of 2026 will be role models

Sunday 26th July 2026

Eilidh Doyle believes Team Scotland’s Class of 2026 can inspire the nation – and the next generation.

The Scottish track and field icon, our most decorated athlete in terms of major medals, cannot wait to be a Scotstoun cheer-leader.

Eilidh won three successive Commonwealth Games silver medals and her Glasgow 2014 experience saw her dovetail to roles as both medal winner and Hampden poster girl.

As it happens, future stars like Erin Wallace and Jemma Reekie watched from the stand that year.

Andy Butchart and Neil Gourley were a little older but were net yet contenders for the team ahead of imminent breakthroughs in endurance.

So, almost regardless of the medal count, there is huge value in what we now call the visibility factor.

Eilidh at Glasgow 2014 (photos by Bobby Gavin)

‘I feel Glasgow 2014 was almost a kick-start of what we’ve seen now from Scottish athletes across all the championships – Europeans, Worlds, Commonwealth, Olympics,’ said Eilidh.

‘We’re now so used to seeing our athletes go well and they are household names. They are on the international stage and perform.

‘So come Scotstoun I think for young fans and young athletes to see them ‘in the flesh’ and see them competing live is just such an important aspect of the sport.

‘It gives inspiration for those youngsters following their own pathways. It becomes our Team Scotland and kids relate to the athletes when they know they clubs where the stars developed in their own early years.

‘Just having that level of exposure, that visibility . . . well, it can only be a good thing.’

Eilidh won silver at Hampden in 2014 and a fortnight later in Zurich won the European title in the Women’s 400m hurdles.

‘Glasgow 2014 was huge for some of us in elevating our careers,’ she recalled.

‘I think for the athletes like myself who went there and were in our peak and winning medals it was great.

‘But I think as well just for the whole squad of athletes that were there, for some it was their first multi-sports event, for some it was their first ever championships.

‘There are athletes who will represent Team Scotland at Scotstoun who were young teenagers in the crowd at Hampden watching.

‘Glasgow 2014 was such an amazing occasion and it definitely for me, it was probably one of the biggest moments of my career.

‘It gave me so much exposure, it gave me a chance to go and perform in quite a big crowd like that and then to go win a medal was just huge.

‘So I have a lot of gratitude, I have a lot that I owe to the Commonwealth Games.’

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Tags: Glasgow 2026

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