16 University of Stirling athletes confirmed for Glasgow 2026

Katie Shanahan, who won bronze in the 400m Individual Medley and 200m Backstroke at Birmingham 2022, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be picked for my second Commonwealth Games. I’ve got a lot of family and friends coming to watch and it’s literally down the road from where I live so it just makes it even more special. It’s not long now with the final preparations and competitions coming up and the excitement is definitely building.

“Competing for Team Scotland is just so different, it only happens once every four years and there’s a different energy about it all. It’s different in a very good way and I’m looking forward to getting back in that environment in the prep camp and then in Glasgow. I just can’t wait to compete.”

Also competing for Scotland in Glasgow is University of Stirling student Evan Jones, who trains at Manchester Performance Centre.

Following the Commonwealth Games, eight Stirling swimmers will make the journey to Paris to compete for Great Britain at the European Aquatics Championships, with Freya Anderson, Evie Davis, Tom Dean, Angharad Evans, Keanna MacInnes, Jack McMillan, Duncan Scott and Katie Shanahan selected.

David Bond, Director of Performance Sport at the University of Stirling, said: “As Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence, we are proud to be at the centre of this summer’s home Commonwealth Games. To have 16 athletes and two coaches already confirmed is exciting – and we are hopeful that number could increase as the countdown to Glasgow 2026 enters its final weeks.

“With the European Aquatics Championships falling hard on the heels of the Commonwealths, 2026 is shaping up to be another phenomenal year for University of Stirling athletes competing for major medals on the international stage – and we are all eagerly anticipating the action getting under way.”

Announcing the Team Scotland swim squad at Tollcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow, Elinor Middlemiss MBE, the team’s Chef de Mission, said: “I am absolutely delighted for the swimmers named in the Team Scotland squad for Glasgow this summer. There is a great mix of experienced athletes and Games first-timers, showing we have an extremely talented team and real strength in the squad.

“It’s also wonderful to see so many of our Youth Games team making the standard and having the opportunity to use that experience at a home Games. I wish everyone selected all the best in their preparations and look forward to seeing them in action in July.”

The University’s coveted high-performance swim programme is led by Ben Higson and supported by coaches Bradley Hay, Josh Williamson and Charlie Boldison.

Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence

The University of Stirling is Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence. Through the powerful and inspirational combination of performance sport, recreational sport, research and education, we are delivering medals on the world stage, improving the health and wellbeing of the nation, and producing the next generation of leaders within sport.

At Stirling, athletes have access to world-class facilities, including a 50-metre pool, a state-of-the-art indoor golf studio, unrivalled outdoor space, and state-of-the-art strength and conditioning suites. In addition to its coaching and facilities, Stirling’s International Sports Scholarship Programme – one of the largest high-performance programmes in the UK – offers athletes funding support, academic flexibility, equipment and kit. It has supported hundreds of athletes since its inception in 1981 – with many competing on the world stage, including at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. Core sports include swimming, golf, tennis, triathlon, football, rugby and curling, while individual scholarships cover all Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games sports.

Read more about sports scholarships at the University of Stirling.