Eilish McColgan might have missed out on the prospect to defend her Women’s 10,000m title in entrance of a house crowd, however the Scottish athlete is delighted to see her nation embrace Glasgow 2026.
From listening to about her mom Liz McColgan’s 1986 and 1990 10,000m golden double, to finishing her personal full-circle second with dramatic victory in the identical race in Birmingham 4 years in the past, the Games have been half of McColgan’s world for so long as she will be able to keep in mind.
Now, 19 years after she completed fifth within the 1500m at the Senior Scottish Championships at Scotstoun Stadium as a 16-year-old, the athlete is again at the identical monitor and loving it.
“It’s really special to see it’s had a huge glow-up that will really help the next generation coming through,” McColgan (pictured) mentioned on Tuesday.
“I’ve fond recollections of being there however now these kids get to make use of the Commonwealth stadium, which is fairly particular.
“You have to see it to believe it.”
For McColgan it was arguably the Commonwealth Games that set the path of her life.
“As a youngster growing up, I didn’t have a lot of confidence, so for me making a Scotland team felt like it might be doable,” the 35-year-old mentioned.
“I was not really dreaming of going to an Olympics or a worlds. I never felt like that was within my capabilities but actually from a young age, I felt like (representing Scotland at a Commonwealth Games) was something that felt achievable.”
Achieve it she did, with that good 10,000m win at Birmingham 2022 a transparent spotlight of her embellished profession.
Winning in entrance of not solely her mother and father however a house nation crowd – identical to mum Liz had finished in Edinburgh in 1986 – additional underlined the impression such moments can have.
“I’m very aware that there’ll be young athletes who watched me in 2022 and thought, ‘I want to do that’,” McColgan mentioned.
“It’s incredible to feel like you’ve made even the tiniest little dent of an impact into someone’s thought process.”
Glasgow 2026 creating goals
The truth Glasgow stepped up late within the course of to assist guarantee a complete host of future generations will proceed to get that chance makes McColgan proud.
“I hope that different nations now can see that it does not have to have this large price range so as to make it work,” she mentioned.
“There’s other ways you are able to do it.”
Being compelled to look at from the sidelines as Australia’s Rose Davies claimed the 2026 Women’s 10,000m gold at EDF Scotstoun on Monday was “hard” for an athlete who nonetheless believes her greatest could also be forward of her. But there was a silver lining.
“The Commonwealth Games, I did a bit of work for them, so they gave me 10 tickets for my family and friends. With me not racing anymore, I gave the 10 tickets to some of the youngsters from ‘Giving Back to Track’,” McColgan mentioned, referencing the muse she set as much as help younger girls and assist them practice and compete.
“Honestly, they have been completely buzzing. They noticed Jemma Reekie final night time, they noticed Megan Keith, and perhaps they assume ‘Maybe I can do that’. That’s actually particular.”
While she will be able to’t wait to see mile world document holder Josh Kerr (SCO) and countryman Jake Wightman go head-to-head within the Men’s One Mile closing on Saturday, McColgan will not be ruling out a return in a Scottish vest in Ahmedabad, India, in 4 years’ time.
“I might have one more Comm Games in me, if they put the marathon back in,” McColgan mentioned with fun.
