‘There are no ‘overnight successes’ in our Team Scotland’ – Mark Pollard

Saturday 2nd July 2022

Alexander Stadium photo courtesy of Birmingham 2022

Birmingham-bound! Team Scotland announcement for Commonwealth Games

Mark Pollard and Julie Mollison lead the Team Scotland management with our athletics team for the Commonwealth Games.

A 33-strong group has been named for Birmingham 2022 following the qualification and selection process.

It looks like a high calibre team and huge congratulations are due to every single athlete and their families, coaches and clubs on making Team Scotland this year.

Mark will be Head Coach and our Head of Performance was keen to stress that there are no ‘overnight successes’ selected even allowing for one or two younger athletes in their early 20s.

‘We’re delighted with the Team Scotland selection announcement and 33 athletes now confirmed for Birmingham 2022,’ said Mark.

‘Being picked for Scotland for a Commonwealth Games is always an exciting moment and we congratulate athletes, their coaches and their families on selection.

‘We acknowledge, too, the huge role played by numerous Scottish clubs played in the development of these athletes over a number of years.

‘It bears repetition on these occasions that success in athletics isn’t achieved overnight or anything like it – quite the opposite, in fact.

‘In so many cases, this is the culmination of many years of hard work, good coaching and development work by clubs along the pathway.

‘That applies just as much to those competing for Team Scotland at the Commonwealths for the third time or the second time as well as those making their debut.

No such thing as an overnight success!
For all those in today's @Team_Scotland squad announcement, it's been years in the making…
Here's @BethDobbin in the crowd at @Glasgow2014 and @SarahInglis5 in early hill running action!
(via their twitter accounts) pic.twitter.com/03P9Q2Ois7

— scottishathletics (@scotathletics) July 1, 2022

‘We had seven athletes selected earlier (six plus marathon runner Steph Davis, who has now unfortunately withdrawn through injury) and five for the Para events and now the cohort reaches 33 with additional places allowed for relays (via the selection policy and after discussions with Commonwealth Games Scotland and the Commonwealth Games Federation).

‘It certainly looks like a strong team and the standards being asked for were very high.

‘It has been exciting over the past year or so to see so many Scottish athletes make those qualifying standards because that’s a good reflection on the overall level being reached by Scots, both at home, within Britain and further afield.

‘There are never any guarantees in sport but we wish our athletes and coaches the very best for Birmingham.

‘There’s a lot of hard work been put in both individually and collectively via Team Scotland and ourselves to try and give the right platform to those selected.’