Scotland wins three medals in 45 minutes to kick-start Commonwealth Games

Scotland's Commonwealth Games campaign in Glasgow kicked off with a spectacular medal rush in the pool, with the hosts securing three medals in just 45 minutes. Poster boy Duncan Scott led the charge, successfully defending his 200m individual medley gold from the previous Games in Birmingham four years ago, smashing his own Games record in the process. Shortly after, para-swimmer Stephen Clegg earned a silver medal in the 100m freestyle S13, battling back from a year plagued by injury. His brother, James, finished fourth in the same event. Katie Shanahan upgraded her bronze medal from the 2014 Birmingham Games to a silver in the 200m backstroke, continuing a strong performance despite recent challenges. The excitement in the Tollcross pool, which hosted the swimming events, reached a fever pitch when para-athlete Faye Rogers delivered a dominant performance to clinch a gold medal in the 200m individual medley SM10, sparking a second rendition of Scotland's national anthem. Scott, now Scotland's most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete with 14 medals, was under pressure to deliver a gold on home soil, having won his first Games medal at the same venue in 2014 as a 17-year-old. He delivered sensationally, dominating the backstroke and breaststroke legs before closing out the freestyle. Clegg, 30, reflected on his journey to the Games, admitting there were times he feared his swimming career was over due to injury. Shanahan, who also won two surprise bronze medals in Birmingham, saw her silver medal as a significant upgrade. Her teammate Holly McGill narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fourth.