Gold Coast 2018: Team Scotland go past medal target with four successes on day seven

Team Scotland broke their medal target on day seven of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games after four more athletes got onto the podium.

With four days to go the Scots have 32 medals, breaking through the total of 29 gained in Melbourne in 2006, making this the most successful overseas games ever.

Shooter David McMath, 21, made a stunning debut in his first Commonwealth Games, winning Scotland’s first-ever individual gold medal in the men’s double trap, setting a new Games Record of 74 in the final.

Earlier he had qualified in first position with a score of 137+6 following a shoot-off with India’s Ashab Mohd.

“I’m absolutely loving it, I couldn’t have asked for more,” McMath said.

“After the first few pairs, I was a bit on the back foot, but started to pull it back. I took time off from uni to train, so the last couple of months have been pretty focused.  The experience here has been absolutely incredible.

“I’ve never been in a final as big as that before and it’s a totally new experience. I shot very well and to get here in the end is so fantastic.”

Earlier in the day, Linda Pearson won a bronze medal in the Women’s Double Trap with a score of 87.

Pearson said: “I can’t believe it. It’s a massive achievement at my age, 54, I’m so pleased. It means the world to me. The range is brilliant, it’s been fabulous.”

Maria Lyle silver Gold Coast 2018

Maria Lyle won, 18, Team Scotland’s second athletics medal of the Games with a splendid silver in the women’s T35 100m.

Lyle said:  “I’m really pleased to win the silver albeit a little bit disappointed with the time, but it’s my first Commonwealth Games and to experience a crowd like that was incredible.

“I don’t get many opportunities to wear the Scotland vest so I’m really pleased to win a medal for Scotland.

“My mum was out there and I saw so many Scotland flags – the support was amazing. It’s a beautiful medal and it’s a really nice reward for all the hard work and sacrifices you put in to get to this point.”

And diver James Heatly won a bronze in the men’s 1m event.

Heatly admitted his late grandfather’s own sporting achievements spurred him on.

Before the 1m event at the Optus Aquatic Centre, the only Scottish medallist previously in the sport in Games history had been his grandfather Peter Heatly.

In 1950 Peter, who went on to be awarded a knighthood and passed away in 2015, won gold in the 10m and silver in the 3m events.

Then in 1954 he took home bronze in the 10m and gold in the 3m and in 1958 he picked up gold in the 10m.

In 2014 Peter was there to watch James, then 17, compete at Glasgow 2014 – and after securing his first ever Games medal yesterday in Australia the Edinburgh Diving Club member admitted to being emotional having continued the family legacy.

James Heatly diving bronze Gold Coast 2018

“My grandpa got to see my dive in Glasgow which was amazing. He always said he was holding on for Glasgow. I was thinking about him before the final of this event,” Heatly junior, now 20, said.

“It means the world to me to have done what I’ve just done. I can’t even put it into words, it means so much to me.

“There are so many emotions swirling round my head, I’m a bit overwhelmed right now.”

Thanks to Team Scotland/Jeff Holmes for the photos