The Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) first took place in 2000. Edinburgh was the inaugural host city. The original idea for the CYG was put forward by Scotland to offer promising young athletes aged 13-18 the opportunity to compete in an international multi-sport event. This year the event will be held in The Bahamas from 19-23 July. The Commonwealth Games Scotland Archive (CGSA) includes a wide range of material relating to the CYG. This flag has featured in our touring exhibition Hosts and Champions: Scotland in the Commonwealth Games. It is signed by a group of young Scottish athletes who competed at the 2008 CYG in Pune, India, some of whom have progressed to a successful senior sporting career.
This flag features the signatures of Eilish McColgan and Lynsey Sharp both of whom were promising junior athletes in 2008. Not only were they pursuing their own sports careers but they were already burdened with expectations due to being the children of successful international athletes. Since the Pune CYG both Lynsey and Eilish have made that step up to become established international class athletes who have represented Scotland in the Delhi 2010 and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and Great Britain in the London 2012 and Rio 2014 Olympics Games and European Championships with great distinction.
Signatures of future Team Scotland athletes Eilish McColgan and Lynsey Sharp on 2008 CYG flag.