Copyright scotsman
World 1,500m silver medallist Jake Wightman is among the first athletes confirmed to represent Team Scotland at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Wightman and Neil Gourley have been selected for the Commonwealth Mile, which is returning to the programme for the first time since 1966, while rising star Megan Keith will make her Games debut in the 10,000m. All three earned their places following standout performances at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo last month where Wightman's second place finish marked a welcome return to form after an injury-plagued few years in the wake of his 2022 world triumph. Wightman is set for a fourth Games appearance, having won bronze medals at both Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022, and will go into his second home-Games with far more experience and expectation. “It feels amazing to be selected for Team Scotland for Glasgow 2026,” said the 31-year-old. “It’s nice to be selected 10 months early too, which gives us time to build our preparation into this winter, through spring and into the summer season and the Games. To be the first athletes selected in what is going to be a huge team is pretty cool. “A home Games is going to be really special, I thought Glasgow 2014 was going to be my only experience, so to get the chance to come back and compete at another one is fantastic. This time I’m a better athlete, much more experienced and wiser, so I hope I can get out there and do my best for Scotland and get on that podium." Gourley made his Team Scotland debut at Birmingham 2022, finishing 8th in the 1500m final. Since then, he has won silver at both the 2023 European Indoor Championships and 2025 World Indoor Championships, as well as making the 1500m final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. An injury meant he missed the 2024 World Indoor Championships in his home city so the Giffnock North athlete is extra motivated to make his mark next summer. "It means a lot more than it probably has done before," Gourlay, 30, said. "There’s been two occasions where I’ve been selected to compete in Glasgow, only to taken out by illness, and the other by injury. Both were devastating in their own ways, so I’m going to have to put that right this time." Keith, a rising star on the track following her switch from orienteering, won her first senior medal last year when claiming bronze over 10,000m at the European Championships and although an ankle injury wrecked her Paris Olympic hopes, a top 10 finish at this year’s World Championships showed her true potential. “Competing for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games is going to be very special," the 23-year-old from Inverness said. "I’ve watched the Commonwealth Games on TV for years and I wanted to go and see it when it was in Glasgow 11 years ago but we didn't manage to get tickets. It’s not something I ever dreamed about competing at myself, but for me the Commonwealth Games is always so much cooler than the Olympics or other events because everyone is competing in their Scotland vests." Further athletes from across all 10 sports and six para-sports featured at Glasgow 2026 will be selected in the coming months.
