TEAM Scotland has announced its first athletes for next summer’s Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Athletics trio Jake Wightman, Neil Gourley and Megan Keith are the first names on the list, having been Scotland’s top performers at the recent World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
Megan will make her Commonwealth Games debut in the 10,000m, while Jake Wightman and Neil Gourley are selected for the Commonwealth Mile as the event makes a return for the first time since 1966 in place of the 1,500m.
Jake will be making his fourth Games appearance, having won bronze medals at both Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022.
Jake took World gold, Commonwealth bronze and European silver in the space of a month in the summer of 2022 but has battled injury ever since. However, his World silver in Tokyo last month marked a return to form for 31-year-old.
Jake said: “It feels amazing to be selected for Team Scotland for Glasgow 2026.
“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.
“The Glasgow fans are going to be really important, I hope that all the fans, especially the Scottish ones are going to be roaring us home.”
Neil Gourley made his Team Scotland debut at Birmingham 2022, finishing 8th in the 1,500m final.
Since then, he has won silver at both the 2023 European Indoor Championships and 2025 World Indoor Championships, as well as making the 1,500m final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
However, an injury meant he missed the 2024 World Indoor championships in his home city of Glasgow, so the Giffnock North athlete will be doubly motivated to make his mark next summer.
Delighted to be named as one of the first athletes, Neil said: “It means a lot more than it probably has done before.
“There’s been two occasions where I’ve been selected to compete in Glasgow, only to be 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.
“I’m incredibly proud that I’ll get to represent Scotland in my home city, I might not get the opportunity again, so this is a special one.
“I’d give anything to be on the starting line of these championships so to have that set in stone is huge for my preparation and aspirations next year.”
Since a switch from orienteering, where she was a World Junior champion, Megan Keith has been a rising star in athletics.
Megan won three consecutive individual medals at U20 and U23 level at the European Cross Country Championships before getting into her stride on the track.
Her 5,000m gold at the European U23 Championships was followed by a first senior medal over 10,000m at the European Championships and selection for the Olympic Games in 2024.
After heartbreak in Paris due to an ankle injury, her top 10 finish at this year’s World Championships showed her true potential.
Ready to make her Commonwealth Games debut next summer, Megan said: “Competing for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games is going to be very special.
“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.
“It’s not often we get the opportunity as senior athletes to compete for Scotland, then on home soil as well.
“I don’t get to race in Scotland as much as I would like so the combination of doing both in Glasgow next summer will be a really cool moment for me, I can’t wait.”
Elinor Middlemiss, Team Scotland chef de mission, said: “We are delighted to welcome our first athletes to Team Scotland for Glasgow 2026.
“The last three Games have been very successful for athletics and, with athletes of the calibre of Jake, Neil and Megan leading the way in this first wave of selections, I am confident of another strong result in Glasgow.
“Congratulations to all athletes selected, as well as their families, clubs and coaches, and we look forward to Team Scotland 2026 taking shape over the coming months.”
All athletes named today met the phase 1 selection requirement of a top 12 finish at the 2025 World Athletics Championships and have been selected following nominations from Scottish Athletics and subsequent ratification by Commonwealth Games Scotland.
Athletes from across all 10 sports and six para-sports featured at Glasgow 2026 will be selected in the coming months as Team Scotland shapes up for an exciting home Games.
