New investment from sportscotland will support Scotland’s top athletes as they prepare for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The national agency for sport has today announced that 43 athletes from eight sports will share £210k of National Lottery funding from the sportscotland Athlete Personal Award programme (SAPA).
The programme is designed to ease financial pressures and allow athletes to dedicate more time to training, recovery and competitions as they build towards representing Team Scotland on home soil.
The latest group of awarded athletes is a mix of those who are still aiming for Team Scotland selection, and some who have already booked their place at Glasgow 2026. Athletes receiving awards include Glasgow 2014 gold medal winners Neil Fachie OBE, Sarah Adlington, Alex Marshall MBE and Paul Foster MBE.
Chief Executive of sportscotland, Forbes Dunlop:
“Scotland is set for a truly memorable summer of sport. Hosting the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow once again is a huge moment for Scottish sport and our athletes. This National Lottery investment from the SAPA programme will ensure our athletes can focus fully on their training and performance as they prepare for one of the biggest events of their careers.”
Judoka Sarah Adlington is aiming to make her third Commonwealth Games appearance after winning gold at Glasgow 2014 and Birmingham 2022.
Sarah Adlington:
“Balancing other commitments with training and competitions is always difficult.
"In a Commonwealth Games year we know we have to do everything we possibly can in terms of our preparation. The SAPA funding from sportscotland is a huge help with that, it allows me to attend more international competitions and camps leading up to the Games."
Legendary bowler Alex Marshall MBE, who will be competing in his eighth Commonwealth Games, has the most gold medals of any Scottish athlete at a Commonwealth Games with five. All 14 bowlers and para bowlers selected for Team Scotland at Glasgow 2026 have received SAPA funding.
Alex Marshall MBE :
“Support from the sportscotland athlete personal award has been really important during our preparations. There’s obviously a lot to juggle and a lot of travelling involved to compete in all the events so having a bit of extra help for that has been great, it allows us to give full focus to our preparations for the Games.”
The awards only make up a small part of the year-round support the athletes receive from their sport governing bodies and sportscotland. Many benefit from a host of expert services provided by the sportscotland institute of sport which includes nutrition, physical preparation, physio, sports psychology, coaching and many more.
The latest round of funding means the SAPA programme has awarded over £2.2million of National Lottery funding to athletes since its inception for the Olympics and Paralympics in London in 2012. Nearly 350 high performance athletes and coaches aiming to make their mark in summer or winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as the Commonwealth Games have benefited from the scheme.
Boxer, Leo Church, is aiming to make his Commonwealth debut:
“For me it means the world to receive the funding as it shows that the hard work being put in is being recognised. To have the funding allows us to fully focus on what’s important - winning.
“In boxing it can be hard to source financial help from sponsors, which a lot of the time leads to having to miss sessions to work. This support from sportscotland it removes some of that burden and lets our focus be set on improving as boxers.”
Kenny More, Scottish Gymnastics Performance and Pathway Lead:
“Scottish Gymnastics was delighted by the news that seven athletes were to receive SAPA funding. In a sport where the costs of daily training, performance camps, and competitive opportunities need to be met it is such a boost to the athletes.
“It settles many of their worries, allows them to reduce or eliminate working commitments, and supports their mental and physical readiness to meet the challenges ahead of them. We get regular comments from their club coaches about the positive impact this funding has on their gymnasts.
“We are grateful to sportscotland for this specific funding and the ongoing support of sport science and medicine practitioners who positively influence these and other gymnasts on a daily basis.”
Bowls Scotland Head of High Performance, Kareena Cuthbert:
“The investment through sportscotland SAPA funding is massively beneficial for our bowlers, giving them the best possible support and preparation for the 2026 Games.
"This backing allows our athletes to train, compete and perform with confidence and reflects a shared ambition to deliver continued success on the biggest stage.”
Athletes receiving awards
Aquatics
Kara Hanlon
Charlie Hutchison
Evie Davis
Ciara Schlosshan
Athletics
Nick Percy
Sarah Tait
Erin Wallace
Bowls
Paul Foster MBE
Alex Marshall MBE
Jason Banks
Caroline Brown
Beth Riva
Sophie McGrouther
Pauline Wilson
Mary Wilson
Garry Brown
Stuart Sloan
Robert Barr
Mary Stevenson
Sarah Jane Ewing
Jim Aitken
Boxing
Alan Perrie
Caitlin Kelly
Leo Church
Robert McNulty
Niamh Mitchell
Stephanie Kernachan
Cycling
Neil Fachie OBE
Gymnastics
Cameron Lynn
Reuben Ward
Hamish Carter
Euan McLellan
Crystelle Lake
Ava McFarlane
Lottie Smith
Judo
Sarah Adlington
Finlay Allan
Nicole Wood
Eva Ewing
Kevin Gordon
Weightlifting
Drew Burns
Madeline Rosher
Wheelchair basketball
Finlay Erskine
