A large cohort of swimmers, bowlers and boxers left the island on Tuesday in advance of tonight’s opening ceremony, with the athletics team not to be completed until this weekend due to the slightly later start date of the track and field events.
Athletics team manager Tom Druce raced at Glasgow 2014 and so experienced the grand atmosphere at Hampden Park, which had a capacity exceeding 44,000, while this year’s Scotstoun Stadium can only manage a quarter of that, even after a temporary upgrade.
But Druce can see the positive side of this more intimate stadium.
‘I think having a nice, close stadium around a track with a lot of fans who really know their sport, we would probably rather that than what we had in India, for example,’ he said while reflecting on the number of seats often left empty at Delhi 2010.
‘I think the atmosphere can still be really incredible and fuel some great performances all the same.’
Even with his delayed arrival, set for Sunday afternoon, Druce can feel the excitement building.
‘Really looking forward to seeing what Glasgow can put on,’ he added.
‘It’s a slightly different Games to how the Games used to look like. But they did a great job in 2014 so I’m pretty confident that it will be a big success again.’
This comes as 400m hurdler Alastair Chalmers targets his own form of success.
After his brilliant bronze at Birmingham 2022, he is striving to repeat that medal moment – and potentially upgrade the colour.
Druce has seen how focused Chalmers has been towards this aim.
‘It’s all been building up to this moment and he is feeling comfortable and happy with where he is at.
‘Everything is going well for him in terms of family and that British title.’
Abi Galpin, Guernsey’s other competitor at Scotstoun, will be looking to replicate her achievement of making the 200m semi-finals four years ago – but has been tipped to potentially go even further in the long jump. This follows her breakthrough 6.18m leap on Sunday.
‘I’m sure if she matches her performance from the weekend, that might be enough for a final,’ Druce added.
‘It’s a very, very high level to be jumping over 6m.’
The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games indoor bowls competition begins this morning, with Guernsey duo Alison Merrien and Rose Ogier starting their women’s pairs campaign at 9.30am against the Isle of Man before Jason Greenslade takes on Australia’s Aaron Wilson in the men’s singles at 10.55am.
The opening ceremony will take place this evening and is live on Channel 5 at 8pm.
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