WITH only 100 days to go until the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa, the 12 athletes who will represent Scotland in the sports of archery, boxing, squash and weightlifting have been named.
Struan Caughey, 16, and Evelina D'Arcy, 15, from Elgin and Athens respectively, will become the first archers to represent Scotland at a Youth Games. They will compete in the individual recurve events and the mixed team competition.
Squash will be represented by two of Scotland's brightest teenage talents, Aberdeen's Richard Hollins and Carrie Hallam from Edinburgh, both 17.
"It means a massive amount to me," said Hallam. "For squash players, experiencing a multi-sport Games is a unique and infrequent opportunity. The Commonwealth Games is the pinnacle of my sport. Samoa will act as a stepping stone to prepare and inspire me to play for my country as a senior athlete which is my ultimate goal."
Four weightlifters have been named in the team: Biatrice Gabell, 17, from Dalry, Ayrshire; Jason Epton, 14, and Daniel Richardson, 15, both from Glasgow; and Rowan Morrogh Bernard, 14, from Pitlochry.
"I'm so grateful to my coaches and everyone in Pitlochry Amateur Weightlifting Club for all the support they've given me," said Morrogh Bernard. "I just can't wait to make them proud. It's all about training even harder now."
Team Scotland boxers have a proud history at the Youth Games with a haul of 12 medals from the 17 boxers who have competed to date.
The four-strong squad named today includes Sean Lazzerini, 17, from Glasgow; William Hutchison, 16, from Lanark; Kieran McMaster, 18, from Kilmarnock; and Billy Stuart, 17, from Aberdeen.
The 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games will take place from September 5-11.
Those taking part range in age from 13-18 and Scotland will compete in eight of the nine sports on the programme: aquatics, archery, athletics, boxing, lawn bowls, squash, tennis and weightlifting.
Sporting stars that have come through the Youth Games and progressed to win medals at the Commonwealth Games include boxer Charlie Flynn and Josh Taylor who took gold at Glasgow 2014.
Others include swimmers Hannah Miley and Robbie Renwick, gymnasts Daniel Keatings and Adam Cox, badminton players Kirsty Gilmour and Imogen Bankier, athlete Lynsey Sharp and shooter Jennifer McIntosh.
The team members for lawn bowls and aquatics have already been announced.
Darren Weir and Carla Banks will represent Scotland in bowls, while the six-strong swimming contingent comprises Tain Bruce, Craig McLean, Erin Robertson, Meg Finnon, Benedict Tortolano and Kieran Preston.
Elinor Middlemiss, general team manager, said: "With just 100 days until Youth Team Scotland march out at the opening ceremony of Samoa 2015, the Games are becoming very real for all involved.
"The Youth Games are an exciting first step into Commonwealth competition and provide the ideal platform for young athletes to develop and gain competition experience for future events."
The full and final team will be announced on June 30.
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