Was Glasgow a successful Games for Team Scotland?

August 3, 2026 No Comments

Was Glasgow a successful Games for Team Scotland? Image source, PA MediaImage caption, Duncan Scott, Melanie Woods, Neil Fachie and Angharad Evans all won gold medalsByRichard WintonBBC Sport ScotlandPublished40 minutes agoHow does a country define success at a Commonwealth Games? Is it simply in the weight of medals? Does the colour come into it too? Or is it in athletes reaching their own Everest? In doing themselves justice, making people proud and creating memories?If it is numbers, those have proved encouraging for Team Scotland at their second home Games in 12 years. The bare statistics say Glasgow 2026 was Scotland’s third best ever in terms of medals won. They finished with 39 in total, including 13 golds – a mark bettered only by the 19 won at Glasgow 2014. Add nine silver and 17 bronze and they end up fifth in the medal table.

That’s one place higher than Birmingham four years ago and with the same number of golds won.

But what is the detail hidden beneath those headlines? BBC Scotland has delved deeper into the results of 11 days of competition to try to find out…

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How does it compare with other Games?

Very well. Granted, the overall haul and tally of golds sits some way shy of the last time in Glasgow, but it is worth considering a few factors before making such a crude determination.

Obviously, being at home was significant, but 2014 also had the largest number of athletes Scotland has ever had at a Games with 313.

Lop 130-odd off that for this time and the pitch is suddenly skewed.

Also consider that there were 261 golds available 12 years ago. In Birmingham, it was 283. This time, just 215 due to the streamlined sports programme.

That rationalisation means fewer athletes competing – 177 in Team Scotland this time, as compared to 261 in England. So a medal for every 4.54 competitors.

Given that figure was 5.30 four years ago, that could be considered progress.

Medal graphic showing Team Scotland's best six hauls with Glasgow 2014 at the top on 53

Could Scotland have won more medals?

Chef de mission Elinor Middlemiss steadfastly refused to state a medal target pre-Games – a caution perhaps founded in appreciating the narrow margins involved.

Take Duncan Scott. Scotland’s most decorated Games athlete added two medals to his tally but had four fourth places and a fifth. On another day, any of those might have been rewarded with another slab of metal.

The swimmers were among a rash of fourth-place finishes for Scottish athletes, some by the most agonisingly narrow of margins.

A different bounce, step or lunge might have elevated those to medal-winning performances, just as it might have done for the athletes who came fifth or even sixth in their events.

“This has been a fantastic Games for Team Scotland and everyone connected with the team should feel immensely proud,” Middlemiss mentioned.

“Our athletes have delivered on so many fronts for the country: winning a plethora of medals, historic firsts, individual and team records and creating memories that will last a lifetime.”

Was there wide range of medallists?

Yes, there was. Both in terms of different sports, genders and abilities.

Of the 10 different disciplines, only two failed to yield medals – netball and Para-powerlifting.

Athletics can reflect on their second biggest haul in 44 years. Gymnastics can celebrate a first-ever men’s all-around gold. And satisfaction can be taken from an all-time best of 14 Para-sport medals.

A first team sport medal came in 3×3 basketball, followed by a second on the same day. Plus a first-ever podium in women’s boxing.

Boxing, bowls and judo might harbour regrets, though, after disappointing results.

Of the 39 Scotland medals, 20 were claimed by men, 17 by women, with two podiums for mixed teams.

And, just like in Birmingham, 43% of those medals went to female athletes.

Who led the way for Team Scotland?

Nobody got anywhere close to the six medals that Duncan Scott reaped in Birmingham, with even the swimmer himself having to settle for two this time.

The 29-year-old did nudge himself further clear as Scotland’s most decorated Games athlete with 14 medals in total, but he trails behind Neil Fachie when it comes to gold medals.

The Para-cyclist – who had effectively retired from the sport – claimed two golds here to take his tally to seven – two clear of bowler Alex ‘Tattie’ Marshall.

There were eight other multiple medallists in Team Scotland.

Angharad Evans was the standout performer, with two individual golds and relay silver and bronze in the pool.

Fellow swimmers Keanna MacInnes (three silver and one bronze), Katie Shanahan (two silver) Stephen Clegg (gold and silver) also enjoyed repeat success.

Para-athlete Melanie Woods won two golds on the track – one of them twice – and closing ceremony flagbearer Reuben Ward took gold and silver in gymnastics.

And, at the velodrome, Erin Boothman claimed double cycling bronze and Fin Graham silver and bronze.

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