The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Local boxers in Scotland’s Gold Coast squad.
Boxers are among the latest Courier Country members of Team Scotland for Gold Coast 2018
Dundee-born Aqeel Ahmed and Montrose’s John Docherty have been named in Scotland’s boxing squad for next year’s Commonwealth Games.
For Motherwell-based Ahmed it will be his second shot at medal glory, after he failed to make the podium in Glasgow.
Docherty wasn’t eligible in 2014 because he was too young.
In 2015 the fighter, out of the Byron Club in Aberdeen, was a gold medallist at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa.
The 75kg boxer has also won the Scottish Elite title and impressed at the Tammer tournament in Finland.
The 19-year-old is part of the GB boxing set-up. As he is on the podium programme, he trains full-time in Sheffield with the British squad.
The pair join Scott Forrest, Mitchell Barton, Stephen Newns, Robbie McKechnie, Nathaniel Collins and Vicky Glover in Australia.
Glover is the first Scottish woman to be selected for a Commonwealth Games in the sport.
Fraser Walker, interim CEO of Boxing Scotland Ltd, said: “This is a ground-breaking moment for Boxing Scotland with confirmation that Vicky Glover will become the first ever Scottish female boxer to be selected to represent Scotland in a senior Commonwealth Games, and there were three further women in the mix.
“We had no female team members in Glasgow 2014. This demonstrates how much work we have put into developing female boxing in Scotland and is testament to the performances of our female boxers, who have impressed so much during the selection period.”
Meanwhile, three Fifers have made the para bowls team – Martin Hunter, Michael Simpson and Sarah Jane Ewing.
Janice Eaglesham, chairwoman of Scottish Disability Sport, said: “Selection decisions were extremely difficult, but the five players and two directors that were chosen have a blend of experience, as well as a strong sense of team unity, which is vitally important for pairs and triples disciplines.”
Also named was an 11-strong shooting team – among them the five-time Commonwealth Games medallist Jen McIntosh and younger sister Seonaid.
Four triathletes and four weightlifters completed the 35 St Andrew’s Day selections.