Scottish Judo Medalist Returns to McDonald's Job, Seeks Sponsorship

Life's unpredictable highs and lows were starkly illustrated for 22-year-old Scottish judo athlete Summer Shaw. After winning Scotland's first judo medal at the Commonwealth Games 2026, a bronze in the women's 48 kg competition, Shaw returned to her shifts as a crew trainer at McDonald's.

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And that’s on doing a sport no one cares about … someone sponsor me so I don’t have to work.

Shaw shared her experience on TikTok, captioning the video with a plea for sponsorship: "And that’s on doing a sport no one cares about … someone sponsor me so I don’t have to work." The video, shared on August 7, had garnered 1.5 million views by August 21, according to PEOPLE.

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I’m already paid to do judo. The amount I get from that basically covers rent, petrol and food and nothing else.

While her Athlete Performance Award from UK Sport and the National Lottery covers essential living and training costs, Shaw explained that it barely covers rent, petrol, and food. She funds additional competitions herself, citing a recent trip to Peru for a Grand Prix that incurred significant personal expense. "I'm also a normal person! Like, I want to save for a house," she said.

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It was strange [to be back at McDonald’s after the win], but it almost gives you that sense of normality.

Shaw acknowledged the strangeness of returning to her job after such a significant achievement. "It was strange [to be back at McDonald’s after the win], but it almost gives you that sense of normality," she recalled. "People at work just see me as a bit more of a normal human being." She noted that it's common for athletes in less mainstream sports like judo to require additional income sources to pursue their athletic careers.

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In my opinion, I’m not quite there yet. There’s still a way to go.