Duncan Scott became Scotland’s most decorated Commonwealth athlete of all time winning six medals at this summer’s Commonwealth Games.
The swimmer won gold in the 200m Individual Medley and pipped Team GB teammate Tom Dean to the top step in the 200m Freestyle, in a reverse of last year’s Olympic final.
Scott also came away with four bronze medals, one of which came in the 100m Medley Relay with fellow Stirling swimmers McNally and Murdoch. Stirling athletes Walton and Milne were also awarded bronze medals having raced in the heat.
This followed a phenomenal anchor leg to secure bronze in the 4x200m Freestyle Relay earlier in the week alongside Stirling duo Milne and Szaranek, and Scotland teammate Jones.
After missing the World Championships in June due to COVID, Scott was delighted to be back on the podium. Speaking to the BBC after beating Dean to gold, he said: “Rivalries or competition, in general, gets the best out of us. I say that for myself, and I can say that for Deano, we love a race.
“We love getting in amongst it and we love racing each other as well because it gets the best out of each other.”
Also in the pool, Ross Murdoch won three bronze medals and Stephen Milne two, while there were also medals for Cameron Kurle (silver), Craig McNally, Mark Szaranek, Toni Shaw, and Martyn Walton (all bronze). In total 12 Stirling swimmers travelled to compete in Birmingham.
Shaw and Murdoch secured Stirling’s first medals of the Games with a bronze each in the S9 100m Freestyle and 200m Breaststroke. Murdoch has now medalled in the last three Commonwealth Games.
Kurle also bagged himself a silver in the 4x100m Freestyle Relay with Team England, having swum in the heats.
Competing at her second Games, Business Studies student Shaw said shortly after clinching bronze: “I am absolutely buzzing and I do not have any words.
“I knew it was going to be really close with so many other girls with a similar time, so I am glad to be on the right side of the finish line this time.
“My family haven’t seen me race in person for such a long time, tonight was really special.”
In addition to the 16 won in the pool, two further medals were won by recent graduates of the University’s sports scholarship programme.
Judoka Rachel Tytler, who left the University last year, and cyclist Finn Crockett, who graduated this summer, both won bronze in their events.
In total, 20 athletes travelled to Birmingham, as well as six recent graduates – and the medal haul far surpasses the 11 won at the Gold Coast Games in 2018.
University of Stirling Executive Director of Sport, Cathy Gallagher, said: “The results and performances over the Games have been fantastic and it’s great to see such camaraderie amongst the athletes.
“The support being shown across the different teams is what the Commonwealth Games are all about and seeing so many world-class athletes compete in such a positive environment is a brilliant advert for the sport.
“With so many University athletes at the Games, there is a real buzz around campus and the city of Stirling and everyone is taking a lot of pride in their achievements.”
Full Medal List
| Athlete | Country | Medals |
| Duncan Scott | Scotland | 200m Individual Medley (gold); 200m Freestyle (gold); 400m Individual Medley (bronze); 100m Freestyle (bronze); 4x200m Freestyle Relay (bronze); 4x100m Medley Relay (bronze) |
| Ross Murdoch | Scotland | 200m Breaststroke (bronze); 50m Breaststroke (bronze); 4x100m Medley Relay (bronze) |
| Stephen Milne | Scotland | 4x200m Freestyle Relay (bronze); 4x100m Medley Relay (bronze) |
| Cameron Kurle | England | 4x100m Freestyle Relay (silver) |
| Craig McNally | Scotland | 4x100m Medley Relay (bronze) |
| Mark Szaranek | Scotland | 4x200m Freestyle Relay (bronze) |
| Toni Shaw | Scotland | 100m Freestyle Para Sport S9 (bronze) |
| Martyn Walton | Scotland | 4x100m Medley Relay (bronze) |
| Rachel Tytler (recent graduate) | Scotland | Judo Under 78kg (bronze) |
| Finn Crockett (recent graduate) | Scotland | Cycling Road Race (bronze) |
Feature Image Credit: Team Scotland
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