Scotland win three medals in 45 minutes to kickstart Glasgow 2026

[PA Media]Scotland claimed three medals in a magnificent 45 minutes in the pool to kickstart the hosts' Commonwealth Games in fine style in Glasgow - and added a second gold of the day an hour later to almost take the lid off Tollcross in the city's east end.

>Poster boy Duncan Scott started the rush, defending his 200m individual medley gold from Birmingham four years ago by slicing a chunk off his own Games record.

>Then Para-swimmer Stephen Clegg added silver in 100m freestyle S13 - with brother James fourth - after battling back from an injury-ravaged year.

>And Katie Shanahan upgraded her 2022 Games bronze to silver in the 200m backstroke.

>The frenzied scenes around this clammy building eventually abated, only for Faye Rogers to spark more bedlam with a rampant gold in the 200m individual medley SM10.

>The drama all unfolded at the same Tollcross pool where 29-year-old Scott won the first of his now 14 Games medals in 2014.

>Scotland's most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete was a wee boy then - just 17 - but is a big man now and was under pressure to deliver a first rendition of Flower of Scotland at this staging.

>And he delivered sensationally, streaking away from the field in the backstroke and breaststroke legs before closing it out in the freestyle.

>Watching from the call room, Clegg could not fail to be roused.

>There were times over the past year where the 30-year-old thought he might not be at these Games, and that his swimming career was over.

>But he made it to Glasgow and managed to add another silver to the won he claimed in the 50m event four years ago.

>Shanahan came home from that Birmingham Games with two surprise bronze medals so silver was an upgrade for another athlete who has come through tough times in recent months.

>Her Scottish team-mate Holly McGill just missed out on the medals in fourth.

>That success would have been sufficent to sate the home crowd, but Para-athlete Rogers delivered one of the most dominant performances of the night to clinch a second gold for the hosts and spark a second airing of the anthem.