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Scotland's Athletes go to the Olympics
As the sporting world geared up for the Beijing Olympics, we look at the young talent in Scottish sport who were part of Team GB (Great Britain) in August 2008, with a bit of help from the Scottish Institute of Sport (SIS)...
Following in the footsteps of 100m Olympic gold medallist Alan Wells, legendary cyclist Graeme Obree and 10,000m runner Liz McColgan, Scotland sent a host of sportsmen and women to 2008 Games of the XXIX Olympiad, as part of Team GB.
Team GB was made up of athletes from the four countries which make up Great Britain – England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.
Of the 300 athletes, in Team GB,many wereScottish, with a bit of help from the SIS, the body which supports Scottish athletes, providing expertise in performance management, coaching, service and physiotherapy.
Since 1998, athletes supported by the SIS have achieved 11 World Champions, 2 Olympic Gold medals, 4 Olympic Silver medals, and many more.
Scottish Institute of Sport Executive Director, Mike Whittingham commented:
"We are delighted that Scottish Institute of Sport-supported athletes got to fly the flag in Beijing, with Olympic hopefuls such as Chris Hoy (cycling) and Euan Burton (judo) competing on the world stage."
For many of the young athletes this was the chance of lifetime. Canoeist, Fiona Pennie, 25, originally from Alexandria in Dunbartonshire,was said before trevelling.
"This is my first Olympics. To paddle on such a stage has been my dream since I was small person. This is a major challenge and I’ll be performing to the best of my ability!"
Scotland's swimmers set out to impress in Beijing.
Ten Scottish swimmers achieved the qualifying standard for Beijing, the highest ever number of Scots to secure Olympic qualifications, including five first-time Olympians.
"A real success story for the Institute and Scottish Swimming is our swim programme. Scottish athletes made up 29% of the Team GB swimming squad, with seven of the ten swimmers contributing to Team GB training under a structured programme developed by Institute High Performance Swimming Coach, Chris Martin."
Swimmer, Gregor Tait, 25, originally from Glasgow but based in Edinburgh,competed in the Men’s 100m Backstroke and 200m Backstroke. In qualifying for the Olympics, Tait set a new Commonwealth record for the 200m backstroke.
His second Olympic Games, Gregor was very excited about flying the flag for his country.
"It always feels a great honour to represent Scotland and Great Britain. I'd say England is usually the main force in British sport. There are a couple of welsh guys in Team GB, but its branching out and the smaller countries within Great Britain are getting themselves in there which is great."
"Swimming really is a fantastic sport. I enjoy meeting people from different countries. Not many people my age have been to so many places without paying!"
Although he travels all around the world to compete, for Gregor there's really no place like home.
"I adore Edinburgh. It's just the best place in the world to live. I always look forward to coming back as it’s such a relaxed, easy going place. I know a lot of people who’ve come here and never left."
In contrast to the Olympic events taking place on artificial white-water courses, Fiona loves nothing better than getting out into the beautiful Scottish countryside and riding the natural waters of Granttully, near Aberfeldy in Perthshire. "It's great fun when the river is high," she says.
You may have spotted Fiona paddling her way down the course in Beijing.
"I always bring with me an element of my Scottishness. There's a Saltire (blue and white St Andrew's cross, Scotland's national flag) on my helmet!"
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Scottish Institute of Sport
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