With 50 days to go until the sixth Commonwealth Youth Games open in 
Nassau, Bahamas, Commonwealth Games Scotland is delighted to announce the 41 athletes who have been selected to represent Team Scotland at their first international multi-sport Games.
The athletes, aged between 15 and 18 years, will compete for Scotland from 18-23 July in seven of the nine sports on the Bahamas 2017 programme: Athletics, Beach Volleyball, Boxing, Cycling, Judo, Swimming and Tennis.
The concept of the Youth Games was created by Scotland in 2000 with the aim of developing young athletes and giving them an early experience of an international multi-sport environment. The event now has a proven track record of uncovering future champions at senior level, with 35 athletes selected for Glasgow 2014 having competed in Youth Games over recent years including medallists Charlie Flynn, Josh Taylor, Daniel Keatings, Hannah Miley and Lynsey Sharp.
The last Youth Games in Samoa in 2015 also created a number of potential future stars who are aiming for selection for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games next year. Boxers John Docherty and Sean Lazzerini both struck gold in Samoa and recently took Scottish Elite Championship titles in their bid for Gold Coast qualification, while lawn bowler Carla Banks is included in Bowls Scotland’s High Performance Squad from which the Gold Coast team will be selected later this year.
The Bahamas 2017 Youth Games will see a number of firsts, with Judo, Team Scotland’s most successful sport at Glasgow 2014, making its Commonwealth Youth Games debut. Six Scottish judoka will step up to the challenge, including British Cadet Champion and Matsumae Cup gold medallist, Louis Saez.
Beach Volleyball is also included for the first time ahead of its Commonwealth Games debut at Gold Coast 2018, with Emma Waldie and Jennifer Lee selected for Team Scotland, who were both part of the Scottish indoor volleyball team that took bronze at the U19 European Championships Small Countries Division last year.
Megan Gordon becomes the first female boxer to compete for Scotland at any Commonwealth Games event, with European Junior Championship medallists, Sam Hickey and Lewis Johnstone also included in a talented Boxing squad.
Athletics name a strong line-up of 11 athletes including European Youth Championships bronze medallist Erin Wallace, who set a new British and Scottish U17 indoor record over 800m in 2016, also taking the Scottish indoor 1500m record which had stood since 1982. She is joined by three fellow Scottish record holders; Alessandro Schenini, holder of the U17 indoor long jump mark, sprinter Adam Clayton who claimed the U17 60m record in February and will contest the 100m in the Bahamas and Adam Scott who erased Josh Kerr’s U17 1500m mark last summer.
Eight swimmers will take to the pool for Team Scotland at Bahamas 2017, five of whom; Anna Fleming, Isabel Jones, Luke Robins, Scott McLay and Thomas Beeley, are also set to compete for Great Britain at the European Junior Championships in Israel at the end of June. The swimming team also includes Team Scotland’s youngest athlete for these Games, 15 year old Roisin Ramsay from Edinburgh.
British U18 Doubles Champion, Alexandra Hunter, and Hamish Stewart, winner at the U18 Nike National Tour Finals will play Singles and Mixed Doubles, as Tennis makes its fourth appearance at the Youth Games.
Cycling makes a return after a six year absence, with Rhona Callander, Dylan Hughes and Stephen Dent set to compete in both the Road Race and Individual Time Trial.
Team Scotland 2017 will depart for the Bahamas on 14 July, ready to make the most of their first multi-sport Games experience and aiming to emulate the success of previous Youth Games teams.
The team will be led by Scotland Rugby Sevens highest capped player and third highest points scorer of all-time, Colin Gregor, as General Team Manager. Colin represented Team Scotland in Rugby 7s at two Commonwealth Games, including as captain at Glasgow 2014. Now a Director on the Commonwealth Games Scotland Board, Colin will be responsible for the overall leadership and management of the team at Bahamas 2017 and he is keen to share his extensive sporting experience with the next generation of Team Scotland athletes.
Confirming the team for Bahamas 2017, Colin Gregor said: “Congratulations to all 41 athletes on their selection for Team Scotland, and also to their families and coaches who have supported and guided their progress. This is a fantastic opportunity for these young athletes to experience what the Commonwealth Games is all about and the start of an exciting journey, which I hope will see many of
these athletes going on to represent Team Scotland at senior level.
“I wish Team Scotland 2017 every success in the Bahamas and I look forward to cheering them on over the six days of competition.”
Congratulating the athletes on their selection, Commonwealth Games Scotland Chair, Paul Bush OBE said: “I would like to welcome each and every one of these young athletes to Team Scotland and congratulate them on the hard work and dedication that lies behind their selection.
“The Commonwealth Youth Games is also an excellent development opportunity for staff with the relevant skills and experience to step up and take on first time roles or more senior positions in the multi-sport Games environment. I am delighted to see Colin Gregor and several others who have represented Team Scotland as athletes, now returning in management positions and sharing their in valuable experience.
“I wish the team all the very best for their final preparations and I look 
forward to seeing our athletes compete with pride for Team Scotland in the Bahamas.”
FULL TEAM LIST
EDINBURGH & LOTHIANS
Calum Henderson, 17yrs, Edinburgh – Athletics
Emma Waldie, 16yrs, Edinburgh – Beach Volleyball
Roisin Ramsay, 15yrs, Edinburgh – Swimming
Alexandra Hunter, 17yrs, Edinburgh – Tennis
Jennifer Lee, 17yrs, Livingston – Beach Volleyball
Emily Ritchie, 16yrs, Livingston – Judo
Isabel Jones, 17yrs, Livingston / Gilmorton, Leicestershire – Swimming
Dylan Hughes, 17yrs, North Berwick – Cycling
GLASGOW
Alessandro Schenini, 17yrs, Glasgow – Athletics
Erin Wallace, 17yrs, Glasgow – Athletics
Adam Clayton, 16 yrs, Glasgow – Athletics
Faraz Ahmed, 17yrs, Glasgow – Boxing
Anna Fleming, 16yrs, Glasgow – Swimming
Hamish Stewart, 17yrs, Glasgow – Tennis
Luke Robins, 18yrs, Glasgow / Street, Somerset – Swimming
RENFREWSHIRE
Fraser Angus, 17yrs, Prestwick – Athletics
Louis Saez, 17yrs, Paisley – Judo
Connor Wilson, 17yrs, Bishopton, Renfrewshire – Judo
LANARKSHIRE
Ryan Quigley, 16yrs, Wishaw – Judo
Taylor Hamilton, 17yrs, Wishaw – Boxing
Lewis Johnstone, 17yrs, Airdrie – Boxing
AYRSHIRE
Lauren Greig, 16yrs, Galston, East Ayrshire – Athletics
CENTRAL
Olivia Vareille, 17yrs, Falkirk – Athletics
John Casey, 17yrs, Stirling – Boxing
Rhona Callander, 18yrs, Stirling – Cycling
PERTH & KINROSS
Scott McLay, 18yrs, Perth – Swimming
TAYSIDE & FIFE
Adam Scott, 17yrs, Kirkcaldy – Athletics
Bethany McAndrew, 17yrs, Kirkcaldy – Athletics
Craig Morgan, 17yrs, Kelty, Fife – Boxing
Ryan Reekie, 17yrs, Cowdenbeath – Boxing
Emma Forrest, 16yrs, Dunfermline – Judo
Fiona Todman, 17yrs, Kirkcaldy – Judo
Sam Hickey, 17yrs, Dundee – Boxing
ABERDEEN & ANGUS
Sophie Smith, 16yrs, Arbroath – Swimming
Naomi Lang, 17yrs, Aberdeen – Athletics
Maddy Silcock, 16 yrs, Banchory – Athletics
Thomas Beeley, 18yrs, Banchory – Swimming
HIGHLAND
Megan Gordon, 17yrs, Rothes, Moray – Boxing
Stephen Dent, 18yrs, Fort William – Cycling
DUMFIRES & GALLOWAY
Tyler Jolly, 17yrs, Whithorn, Dumfries – Boxing
OTHER
Emma Harvey, 15yrs, Street, Somerset – Swimming
