ByRichard Winton

BBC Sport Scotland

Published

2 hours ago

How does a nation gauge achievement at a Commonwealth Games?

Is it purely through medal counts? Does the hue of those medals matter as well?

Or does it rest on competitors scaling personal peaks, performing at their best, inspiring pride and forging lasting moments?

If numbers are the measure, the figures look positive for Team Scotland at their second home Games in 12 years. The raw data shows Glasgow 2026 as Scotland's third strongest performance historically by medals secured.

They closed with 39 overall, featuring 13 golds - a total exceeded solely by the 19 from Glasgow 2014. With nine silver and 17 bronze added, they placed fifth on the table.

That marks one spot above Birmingham four years prior and matches the gold count from then.

Yet what lies beneath those surface numbers? BBC Scotland examined the outcomes from 11 days of events to uncover more...

How does it compare with other Games?

Quite favorably. While the overall medals and golds fall short of the prior Glasgow edition, several elements warrant consideration before a simplistic judgment.

Home advantage played a role, yet 2014 featured Scotland's largest ever delegation at 313 athletes.

Subtracting roughly 130 from that total alters the comparison significantly.

Additionally, 261 golds were contested 12 years ago. Birmingham offered 283. This edition featured just 215 owing to the reduced program.

The adjustments led to fewer participants overall - 177 in Team Scotland versus 261 for England. This yields a medal per 4.54 athletes.

That ratio stood at 5.30 four years earlier, suggesting improvement.

Could Scotland have won more medals?

Chef de mission Elinor Middlemiss avoided naming a medal goal ahead of the Games - a prudent stance given the slim differences at play.

Consider Duncan Scott. Scotland's leading Games performer added two medals but recorded four fourth places and one fifth. On another occasion, any of those could have become medals.

Swimmers formed part of several near-misses for Scottish athletes, some by tiny margins.

A slight variation in timing or movement might have turned those into podium results, as could have occurred for those finishing fifth or sixth.

"This has been a fantastic Games for Team Scotland and everyone connected with the team should feel immensely proud," Middlemiss said.

"Our athletes have delivered on so many fronts for the country: winning a plethora of medals, historic firsts, individual and team records and creating memories that will last a lifetime."

Was there wide range of medallists?

Yes, across sports, genders and classifications.

Out of 10 disciplines, only netball and Para-powerlifting missed out on medals.

Athletics achieved their second largest total in 44 years. Gymnastics marked a debut men's all-around gold. An all-time high of 14 Para-sport medals was secured.

A first team sport medal arrived in 3x3 basketball, with another the same day. A debut podium came in women's boxing.

Boxing, bowls and judo may reflect on missed opportunities after weaker showings.

Of the 39 Scotland medals, 20 went to men, 17 to women, and two to mixed teams.

Just as in Birmingham, 43% of medals were won by female athletes.

Who led the way for Team Scotland?

No one approached the six medals Duncan Scott collected in Birmingham, and even he managed only two this time.

The 29-year-old extended his lead as Scotland's top Games athlete with 14 medals overall, yet trails Neil Fachie in golds.

The Para-cyclist - who had nearly left the sport - secured two golds to reach seven, two ahead of bowler Alex 'Tattie' Marshall.

Eight further athletes earned multiple medals.

Angharad Evans stood out with two individual golds plus relay silver and bronze in swimming.

Other swimmers like Keanna MacInnes (three silver and one bronze), Katie Shanahan (two silver) and Stephen Clegg (gold and silver) repeated success.

Para-athlete Melanie Woods took two track golds - one repeated - and closing ceremony flagbearer Reuben Ward earned gold and silver in gymnastics.

At the velodrome, Erin Boothman gained double cycling bronze and Fin Graham silver plus bronze.