Latest news with #CommonwealthGames.
BBC News
24-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Mum's record in mind' - McColgan ready for marathon debut
Eilish McColgan says she is simply looking to complete her marathon debut in London with "no mishaps" but then quickly admits to having a couple of "loose goals", which turn out to be significant would be setting a new Scottish record and, if she does that, it will take care of number two - beating her mother's personal she is certainly not expected to emulate Liz McColgan's 1996 victory. Mum and coach also came second of 1997 and 1998, running a career-best of two hours 26 minutes and 52 seconds in Twell took 12 seconds off that time in 2019 to establish a Scottish champion at 10,000m in 2022, Eilish had planned to run her first London Marathon the year after but had to withdraw because of with Sunday's race in sight, she hopes it can be the springboard to the next phase of her career."It's a complete unknown, the furthest I've ever run," said the 34-year-old."There's an overriding feeling of nerves but I'm also super excited to be part of it."To be on the start line with some of fastest women in history is pretty special."I want a smooth experience in my first marathon – no mishaps. Enjoy it, take in the atmosphere, then this can be a platform for me to push on and really look towards performances on a world level."Not many first-time runners in London will benefit from such an experienced coach."I don't think there's anyone better to get advice from," said Eilish of the family connection."We are very different athletes, coming at it from very different ways. I'm very low mileage, my mum was very high mileage, so it's completely different training paths to the start line."She's said it's important to keep a lid on it in the first half. There's a lot of buzz, a lot of excitement and a lot of adrenalin. "She always says the real race starts from 30-40k onwards."I obviously have my mum's PB in the back of my mind. There's part of me that would love to break that."It's the last of her records that I haven't broken. Then there's the Scottish record."I've got nothing set in stone. They are loose goals and, if I have a good day, it will happen." Return to the track for Glasgow 2026? McColgan took part in the steeplechase at Glasgow 2014 before switching to the will be no marathon at the scaled down event when it returns to the city next year but that does not mean she is not considering making it to a fifth Commonwealth Games."It's disappointing," she said of the absence of a 26.2 mile race in 2026. "They could have thought of inventive ways to try and keep it in there. "They could have doubled the Great Scottish Run route or had a 10k loop, so the road closures were less. They could have done something off the chart, like a 10k mixed relay."Maybe even a mass participation race, like they did in Paris [2024 Olympics]. A lot of big races are going that way and it would have been a way to make some revenue. "I don't want to miss out on a home championships, so if that means going back to the track and trying to qualify for the 10k, I'll maybe try and have a pop at that."For now, marathons and road racing is my priority."
BBC News
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
New Street station exhibition celebrates Commonwealth Games
Three years on since Birmingham hosted the Commonwealth Games, an interactive fairy tale-style experience has been installed to bring the games back to By 2022, the legacy charity of the Games, will host The Next Chapter at New Street Station from Wednesday until Levermore, featured as one of the 50 ball chain women in the opening ceremony and said she still cherished the opportunity to be involved."As of today us 50 ball chain women are all still friends and it's important to know that from volunteering you can make great friendship groups," she said. Charity CEO Nicola Turner said the exhibition told stories from volunteers, young people and local communities across the West Midlands on what the Games did for said: "The beautiful thing about this legacy is it's touched 279 places all around the West Midlands. "We hope the public can touch and feel the impact from the Commonwealth Games."Come and sit on the throne of legacy or maybe come and stand on our bridge of possibilities."The project also features a wish book for members of the public to say what they want for the future of the city."We hope this unique event helps to shine a light on the brilliant legacy of the Games, the vital work of our volunteers," Ms Turner added. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
08-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Lancashire sign Australia spinner King
Lancashire have signed Australia spinner Alana King on a multi-format 29-year-old will feature for Lancashire Thunder in the Women's T20 Blast as well as Lancashire's matches in the One-Day Cup.A 50-over World Cup winner in 2022, King has also won the Ashes on three occasions as well as gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games."I am really honoured to be able to represent a great county in Lancashire," she said. "When I look at the past great names that have represented the county before me, it truly is a privilege to represent this team."King has also previously played in The Hundred for Trent Rockets, becoming the first woman to take a hat-trick, having dismissed Cordelia Griffith, Sophie Ecclestone and Kate Cross while playing Manchester Originals."Alana will bring with her an incredible amount of skill and experience, from both the international stage and in franchise cricket around the world, and we cannot wait to see her in action for the Red Rose," head coach Chris Read said."Spin plays an important role at Emirates Old Trafford, and I have no doubts that Alana will positively impact matches for us in the Vitality Blast, while it will also be great to have her around for a couple of 50-over fixtures later in the season too."
BBC News
23-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'I like boxing and I like my nails being done'
One of England's leading female boxers says she had to punch through lazy stereotypes while growing up in the Richardson, from Scunthorpe, has won five national titles and a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games."When I was younger, I had a lot of the stereotypical thing: oh, you must be a lesbian then, you must be this, you must be that – you've got to be butch if you're a boxer," the 23-year-old says. "They put me in a category just because I chose to do a sport. They'd say you're too pretty to be a boxer. "I like my boxing and I like my nails being done." Gemma, who will make her professional debut next month, believes opinions have now changed because of the rise in popularity of women's super-featherweight returned to her old school this month to tell pupils: "Be ok with being different."At the Outwood Academy Brumby, a "Wall of Fame" is dominated by a huge image of Gemma boxing for the nickname there was "Jekyll and Hyde" – one day she would be "loving it" and the next struggling with the "pressures of trying to fit in" and "having dreams and aspirations"."I had to sacrifice a lot," she says of the time she devoted to training and competing. 'As good as the lads' She started boxing after her father Ricko, himself a coach, took her to the gym to keep she says sometimes she was treated differently to the boys she trained with – a situation she found remembers thinking: "Why am I in this boxing gym if I'm not getting the fair shot that all the lads are getting? "I can't go to this show because girls aren't allowed to box in it, or in school I'm getting looked at different to a lad that will box."It was hard. I'm lucky I had my dad and my mum who didn't care and said, you can do it and you're just as good as the lads."Her perseverance paid off when she went on to become one of Britain's most successful amateurs, winning 60 of her 67 former PE teacher, Kate Simpson, has been a part of her journey for the past decade. She says Gemma's story is an inspiration to today's pupils."Some of our students don't always think that there's a success out there for them, so it's really nice to see that we've got one of those successes," Kate says. "It's not just what you see on the TV – it is in your local area." Despite her success, "down-to-earth" Gemma says she is "just your typical 23-year-old Scunny girl".While she now trains in Hartlepool, she has stayed close to her roots and "loves" her home feeling is mutual. On her return to Scunthorpe, a fan stops her in the town centre and calls her "a champion".Gemma hopes she will give the steel town more success to enjoy. Having signed with Steve Wood and 11:11 Management, she will make her pro debut on 8 March at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, says times are different now for female boxers thanks to household names such as Nicola Adams and Katie Taylor, who have helped to make a career in the sport viable."They say the amateurs is like an apprenticeship and I feel like I've had a tough, hard apprenticeship," she adds. "The big dream now is to get all the belts. I want to win as many world titles as I can, get – hopefully – some money, and then get out. "I don't want to be getting punched in the head for all my life." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
