Scotland at the Commonwealth Games: What was Scotland's most successful games, who are Scotland's top medal winners, how many times has Scotland hosted the Games?

With this year’s Commonwealth Games getting underway in Birmingham this week, we take a look at Scotland’s history in the games.
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Scotland has a proud history at the Commonwealth Games, being one of only six countries to have competed in every event since the inaugural Empire Games of 1930 (the other five being Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand and Wales.

It’s the only major multi-sport event where Scottish athletes compete under the Scottish flag, instead of as part of a Great Britain team

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Over the history of the games, Scotland sits seventh in the all-time tally of medals, with 451 medals (119 Gold, 132 Silver and 200 Bronze).

Here’s what you need to know about Scotland and the Commonwealth Games.

How many times has Scotland hosted the Commonwealth Games?

Edinburgh welcomed athletes from around the world in both 1970 and 1986 – the latter being controversial with 32 of the eligible 59 countries boycotting the event due to Margaret Thatcher’s government’s policy of maintaining sporting links with apartheid South Africa rather than joining the general boycott of the country.

Shooter Alister Allan has won more Commonwealth Games medals than any other Scot.Shooter Alister Allan has won more Commonwealth Games medals than any other Scot.
Shooter Alister Allan has won more Commonwealth Games medals than any other Scot.
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Edinburgh was also the venue for the first Commonwealth Youth Games in 2000.

What was Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Games?

Scotland won a record number of medals at their home Games in Glasgow in 2014 – a total of 53, comprising 19 Gold, 15 Silver and 19 Bronze.

It placed them at an impressive number four in the medals table, only beaten by England, Australia and Canada.

In the Gold Coast four years later the Scots has their second most successful Games, with 44 medals – 9 Gold, 13 Silver and 22 Gold.

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Prior to Glasgow, Scotland’s best performance was at the 1986 Edinburgh Games where they claimed 33 medals – 3 Gold, 12 Silver, and 18 Bronze.

Who is Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Games medallist?

By total medals won Scotland's most successful Commonwealth Games competitor is shooter Alister Allan, who won 3 Gold, 3 Silver and 4 Bronze medals between 1974 to 1994.

By number of gold medals won, lawn bowler Alex Marshall is the most successful athlete, with five Gold and a Silver to his name, the last of which he won in 2018.

Other Scottish multi-medallists include Olympic champion runner Allan Wells (4 Golds, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze in the 1978 and 1982) and diver Peter Heatly (who won 3 Golds in successive Games in 1950, 1954 and 1958, along with a further Silver and Bronze).

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Scottish lawn bowler Willie Wood is also a record breaker – becoming the first competitor to have competed in seven Commonwealth Games, from 1974 to 2002.

How many Scottish athletes will take part on the 2022 Commonwealth Games?

A total of 254 Scots will take part in the Birmingham Games – 125 men and 129 women.

Of all sports in the Games, Scotland will send the most to take part in hockey (36), followed by athletics (33), swimming (26) and rugby 7s (26).

What National Anthem does Scotland use at the Games?

Since 2010 Scotland has used Flower of Scotland as the victory anthem when athletes top the medal podium.

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Between 1958 and 2006 Scots Wha Hae was used, but was replaced after a vote in January 2010 by athletes that had been selected to participate in the 2010 games.

The shortlist of anthems they chose from also included Scotland the Brave, Loch Lomond and Highland Cathedral.

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