Glasgow 2014 is fast approaching.
We have passed the 'One Year To Go' mark, the first batch of tickets has been sold and the first athletes to be selected in Team Scotland were announced last week. Yesterday marked another important milestone: the Achieve 2014 Programme was launched by Commonwealth Games Scotland.
This initiative gives young, up-and-coming athletes the opportunity to experience the Commonwealth Games environment before they compete for real. The aim of the programme is to prepare the next generation of athletes and coaches for the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2015 and 2017, followed by the 2018 Commonwealth Games, as well as inspiring and motivating them for the next stage of their career.
The Achieve programme was launched prior to the 2010 Games in Delhi, but on a smaller scale than will be the case for Glasgow 2014. Twenty-eight athletes travelled to India as part of Achieve 2010 three years ago while in Glasgow next year, over 120 athletes and coaches will be part of the programme.
Initially, it may not seem clear as to what the benefits are of attending a Commonwealth Games without competing, but it is, in fact, a hugely important step in the learning curve of an aspiring elite athlete.
A multi-sport event is inimitable. The 2002 Games in Manchester was my first taste of one; up to that point in my fledgling career I had only competed in badminton events which I participated in as a member of the national team. I remember the experience hitting me like an express train. The sheer scale of the event, the excitement of receiving bundles of kit, the thrill of being in such close proximity to so many great athletes was something I was completely unprepared for, despite having heard countless stories of past Games from more experienced athletes.
No matter how much you have heard about the village, you are never prepared for the first time you walk in. Unlike single-sport events, of which every athlete is hugely familiar and which spring no surprises, a Commonwealth Games has so many distractions, so many pitfalls lurking, so many things that can, if you're not fully focused, detract from your performance in the competition itself.
For the first few days it is very hard not to feel like you are on holiday. Free food, being part of a team full of fun, interesting people and celeb-spotting every time you step out of your apartment: it can feel as if all that is missing is a lilo and a cocktail.
Which is exactly why the Achieve programme was created. Team GB created a similar initiative for the Olympics, as the British Olympic Association realised that for an athlete to achieve a podium place in their first Games is incredibly rare. Some 70% of Team GB medallists do not win a medal until at least their second Games. This is partly because, by the second time, most athletes have improved physically but it is also a consequence of them being in better shape mentally. Their previous Olympic experience has ensured they know what to expect.
The Achieve 2010 Programme boasted several athletes who are likely to be competing at Glasgow 2014. The fact these athletes have had the experience of Delhi in 2010 means they are likely to be better equipped to cope next summer.
It is, of course, impossible to replicate absolutely the experience of competing for Scotland in your first Games. Nothing can fully prepare any athlete for the nerves, the apprehension and the excitement that they will feel. But sport is all about preparing for as many eventualities as possible.
For aspiring young Scottish athletes, the Achieve Programme does this and it is likely that Scotland will win a few more medals in the coming years as a consequence.
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