all you need to know about Day 9 of European Championships 2018:
Glasgow praised for warm welcome to inaugural European Championships
SCOTLAND’S First Minister has hailed Glasgow 2018 home crowds as the “perfect hosts”.
People from across the city have joined visitors from the rest of Scotland and beyond to watch the inaugural European Championships over the last eight days.
Nicola Sturgeon and Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken thanked the tens of thousands of spectators who have watched events.
Ms Sturgeon said: “Our supporters have yet again shown themselves to be perfect hosts and I want to thank them for the warm welcome athletes and teams from throughout Europe have received.”
Ms Aitken added: “The atmosphere in Glasgow during the championships has been tremendous and the welcome that people all over the city have given to athletes and visitors alike has been typically friendly and enthusiastic.
“Although it comes as absolutely no surprise, I couldn’t be more proud of the way the city has embraced our friends and neighbours from across Europe.”
The comments come as Team Great Britain had one of its most successful days in the games yesterday, bringing home 10 medals.
Diver Jack Laugher received his second gold of the games for the 3m springboard competition, swimmer Ben Proud came first in the 50m freestyle and teammates Adam Peaty, Nicholas Pyle, James Guy and Duncan Scott worked together to nab the top prize in the men’s 4x100m medley relay.
Jess Learmonth got silver in the women’s triathlon, Matthew Dixon and Noah Williams came second in the synchronised 10m diving while swimmers Max Litchfield and Imogen Clark also gained silver in the 400m individual medley and the 50 m breast stroke respectively.
It was bronze for swimmers James Guy, Holly Hibbott and team Georgia Davies, Siobhan- Marie O’Connor, Alys Thomas, Freya Anderson who came third in the 100m butterfly, 400m freestyle, and 4x100m medley relay respectively.
As the athletes continue to shine on the global stage, their success has prompted sportscotland to confirm the first recipients of a £ 500,000 legacy fund aimed at getting communities across the country more active.
More than 90 projects will share around £ 250,000 as part of GO LIVE! GET ACTIVE, a programme designed to support Community Sport Hubs ( CSHs) deliver a sporting legacy from the first ever multi sport European Championships.
The Scottish Government
‘‘ The atmosphere in Glasgow has been tremendous
funding, which is being invested by sportscotland, is supporting CSHs that establish new sport or physical activity sessions to target those most inactive in communities. It is also being used to fund projects that use sport and physical activity to improve health, wellbeing and social cohesion.
Minister for sport, Joe FitzPatrick, marked the funding awards by visiting Whitacres Community Sport Hub in Glasgow, which will receive £ 4,590 to deliver a series of new boxing sessions for 16 to 25- year- old women and men over the age of 40.
He said: “This £ 500,000 investment will build on the enthusiasm generated by Glasgow 2018, making a lasting difference in communities throughout the country, with a positive impact on the health of individuals while boo sting community cohesion.
“Whitacres Community Sport Hub is a perfect example of this. In particular, I’ve been impressed by their boxing programme, which has achieved great success with women and older people.”
Meanwhile, the games are also encouraging the city to take interest in an entirely new sport – golf.
As the only new event in the programme at Glasgow 2018, the historic event at Gleneagles is proving popular with fans, and those who can’t make it along in person are gathering in George Square and Glasgow Green to watch the action unfold.
Legendary Open champion Paul Lawrie will visit the championships today, to offer some tips to fans will taking part in a host of fun- filled golfing challenges in the spectator village.
He said: “The European Golf Team Championships are a hugely innovative and exciting format, especially as they are providing a historic moment for equality in sport with men and women competing together in the Mixed Team event on Saturday.
“Golf events provide a terrific day out for the family with something to keep everyone interested. I hope that people will be inspired by watching some great players perform on the course before having the opportunity to try it for themselves in the spectator village.”
Newly- crowned British Open Champion Georgia Hall and 2019 Solheim Cup Team Europe captain Catriona Matthew will also be popping by the course this weekend.