Team Scotland pick eight athletes for Commonwealth Youth Games

Thursday 22nd June 2023

lison and Allan will join Team Scotland staff for Trinbago

Eight young track and field athletes are the latest additions to Team Scotland for the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago this summer.

With just under 50 days to go until the Trinbago 2023 Opening Ceremony, the team is almost complete, with athletes now confirmed in six of the seven sports.

The concept of the Youth Games was created by Scotland in 2000 with the aim of developing young athletes and giving them an early experience of an international multi-sport environment.

The event, which this year takes place August 4-11, has a proven record of uncovering future champions at senior level, and a host of current stars have competed at past Youth Games, such as Lynsey Sharp, Eilish McColgan, Zoey Clark Nick Percy and Erin Wallace.

scottishathletics worked with Team Scotland on the selection process, with a quota system in place in terms of each sport.

As it transpired, more Scottish teenagers made the tough qualifying standards than the seven allocated places.

Alison Grey and Allan Hamilton will look after the athletes in Trinidad in team manager roles.

Here are our eight athletes selected (including one young Para development athlete):

Corey Campbell, 1500m and 3000m (Team East Lothian)

Jenna Hilditch, High Jump (VP-Glasgow)

Reiss Marshall, 3000m (Fife AC)

Millie McClelland-Brooks 1500m (Glasgow School of Sport)

Caleb McLeod, 800m (Pitreavie AAC)

Dean Patterson, 200m (Glasgow School of Sport)

Amy Teasdale, 3000m (Kilbarchan AAC)

Lidya Woldeselassie, T35 LJ and 100m (Shettleston Harriers/Red Star AC)

‘We’re delighted with the announcement of the track and field athletes for Trinbago,’ said Allan Hamilton of scottishathletics.

‘It was a tough selection process with a number of young Scots making qualifying standards in their events and a quota system for places for sports. Well done to those picked and to their families, coaches and clubs.

‘The Commonwealth Youth Games is an ideal development platform in terms of international competition. We look forward to being with the athletes for Trinbago and, as they compete, helping each of them in their enjoyment and learning.’

Corey Campbell (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Of the eight selected athletes some already have international experience under their belt. A Scottish and British U17 record holder, Corey Campbell and was a finalist over 1500m at last year’s European U18 Championships.

Also at those championships was sprinter Dean Patterson, who made it to the 200m final. Patterson started 2023 with a bang with a run of 21.23 at the National Indoor Open, bettering Elliot Bunney‘s 32 year old Scottish Native record.

High jumper Jenna Hlilditch heads to Trinbago 2023 having made her senior Scotland debut in May at the Loughborough International.

Turning 14 this month, Lidya Woldeselassie will be the youngest athlete on Team Scotland, competing in the T35-38 100m and Long Jump, the first time P#ara events have been included in the Youth Games.

Team Scotland will be particularly strong in the middle distance events with Reiss Marshall, Millie McClelland-Brooks, Caleb McLeod and Amy Teasdale completing the line up.

The athletes will compete for Team Scotland at the Haseley Crawford Stadium on Trinidad, also the venue for the Opening Ceremony.

Corey Campbell has raced in Israel, Norway and America over the past year and said: ‘It is an honour to be selected to represent Scotland at this year’s Youth Commonwealth Games.

‘I am very much looking forward to going to Trinidad and Tobago and believe my previous International experience will help me at these Games.

‘It will be a great experience competing and meeting all the athletes from the Commonwealth that will be there.’

Amy Teasdale of Kilbarchan AAC and Millie McClelland-Brooks of Glasgow School of Sport are picked for Team Scotland (photos by Bobby Gavin)

Chef de Mission, Chris Purdie, said: ‘I would like to welcome our track and field athletes to Team

Scotland and to congratulate them on their selection.

‘These athletes have put in an incredible amount of work and effort to get to where they are and deserve the recognition they have earned.”

‘The Commonwealth Youth Games is a fantastic opportunity for these young athletes to represent their sport and their country on the international stage and I wish them all the best in their preparation for the Games.

‘I look forward to watching them compete with pride for Team Scotland at Trinbago 2023.’