A Scottish exodus has happened, if only temporarily.  By the time you read this, a grand total of 38 Scottish athletes (including reserves) will have departed these shores for Beijing to represent team GB in the 2008 Summer Olympics (commencing 8th August).

The hype and controversy that has surrounded these Olympics has almost reached boiling point.  Between the Dwain Chambers doping scandal and his subsequent appeal to compete for GB, the China – Tibet human rights debate and the Beijing pollution problems that have led marathon legend Haile Gebrselassie to pull out of the event, we might almost have forgotten about the sporting spectacle that will be on display to the entire world for two weeks in August.

Some of the biggest names in world sport will be there, breaking records and breaking hearts, winning medals and winning hearts. 

Will it be Bolt, Gay or Powell that will take the highly coveted 100m crown in men’s athletics?  Can Christine Ohuruogu make one of the greatest fightbacks of all time to add Olympic gold to her world champion status? Shall we see swimming sensation Michael Phelps break fellow American Mark Spitz’s record of seven golds in one Olympics?  How many hidden gems do China have behind the scenes waiting to gatecrash the party in Beijing?

It’s all very exciting.  Enough to make your mouth water, enough to have your adrenalin flowing several days before the action even starts.  But there will be plenty of drama in the Scottish ranks, too.  Not only that, but it isn’t foolish to speculate that Scotland could add a few medals to its Olympic CV by the time the summer is out.

World and Olympic champion track cyclist, Chris Hoy, is a strong favourite to add at least one more gold to his collection this month.  Although the event in which he won his first, the kilo in 2004, has been scrapped, against the odds Hoy has risen through the ranks to become the man to beat in both the keirin and the sprint.  And his raw power, growing tactical nous and above all, his unflinching will to win suggests he will do us proud.

Add to that the team sprint event, where Hoy will team up with his compatriot and Commonwealth Games team-mate Ross Edgar (who will also race the keirin), and fellow Brits Ross Kenny and Jamie Staff, and there could be a glut of cycling medals making their way back to Scotland.

Tennis stars Andy and Jamie Murray will also be flying the flag in China.  After Andy’s Wimbledon exploits earlier this summer, and Jamie’s heroics in winning the mixed doubles at SW19 last year, they both look a strong bet for some success in Beijing.  Andy will be going for gold in the singles, before teaming up with big bro Jamie in the doubles.

There is also cause for optimism in the water for Scotland, both with our swimmers and in vessels of various forms.  Ten of the 35 swimmers representing GB hail from Scotland, and Commonwealth heroes Caitlin McClatchey, Gregor Tait and David Carry will all be hoping to add Olympic medallist to their credentials. 

World championship silver medallist and European Champion Kirsty Balfour will also be in contention for a podium finish, and keep an eye out for emerging stars Kris Gilchrist and Hannah Miley, who have been in unstoppable form this season, and just might peak at the right time.  Todd Cooper will be appearing at his second Olympics, while Euan Dale, Robbie Renwick and Andrew Hunter will all make their debuts.

On the water, rather than in it, slalom canoeist Campbell Walsh and rower Katherine Grainger will be keen to improve upon their silver medals from Athens four years ago.  David Florence and Fiona Pennie will also be making their Olympic canoe-slalom debuts in Beijing.

Scotland will also be hoping to see a medal return on the judo mats.  Euan Burton, the World Championship bronze medallist 2007, will be hoping to carry his good form onto the Olympic stage.

On the athletics track, Lee McConnell will hope to emulate her world championship relay success, while in individual pursuits she, along with the Scotts, Allan and Susan, and Andrew Lemoncello, will be hoping to make an Olympic final appearance.  Hayley Haining will also be chomping at the bit in the marathon, should British hero Paula Radcliffe pull out.

Stephen Dick and Alistair McGregor will have their eyes on a podium finish on the hockey pitch.  Both will be making their Olympic debuts for team GB, but goalkeeper McGregor’s vast experience of 100+ caps will prove invaluable to his team-mates.

Elsewhere, keep an eye out for Archer Simon Terry, who won bronze at Barcelona ’92, British champion gymnast Daniel Keatings, fencer Richard Kruse and rifle shooter Jon Hammond.

Finally, four ‘honorary’ Scots will also compete at this summer’s Olympics.  2006 World Champion Sarah Clark and 2006 Commonwealth Champion Michelle Rogers may hail from England, but they ply their trade as two of Britain’s top judo players in Edinburgh, and are supported by the Scottish Institute of Sport.  Both are going for gold in Beijing.

Triathlete Helen Tucker, the ITU World Champion 2008, has represented Wales all her life, but as she was born in Elgin, we will be cheering her on as if she were Scottish.  And the same goes for journey-woman Alena Popchanka.  Born in Belarus but representing France, Alena lives and trains in Edinburgh alongside Kirsty Balfour, Gregor Tait and Kris Gilchrist.  Her husband and coach, Fred Vergnoux, is also on the team GB coaching staff.

So, for this month only, In The Winning Zone encourages you to be a couch potato.  Switch on the telly, and cheer Scotland’s and team GB’s heroes to victory in Beijing!

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Scotland’s 2008 Olympic roll-call
Remember the dates for your diary – this is where you might see some Scots on the podium:

9-15 Aug: Archery
Simon Terry: individual, team

15-24 Aug: Athletics
Hayley Haining: marathon (1st reserve)
Andrew Lemoncello: 3,000m steeplechase
Lee McConnell: 400m, 4x400m relay
Allan Scott: 110m hurdles
Susan Scott: 1500m

11-23 Aug: Canoeing
David Florence: C1 Canoe Single
Fiona Pennie: K1 Kayak Single
Campbell Walsh: K1 Kayak Single

9-23 Aug: Cycling
Ross Edgar: keirin, team sprint
Chris Hoy: keirin, sprint, team sprint

9-17 Aug: Fencing
Richard Kruse: foil individual

9-24 Aug: Gymnastics
Daniel Keatings: individual competition
Daniel Purvis (reserve)

10-23 Aug: Hockey
Laura Bartlett: women’s (reserve)
Stephen Dick: men’s
Alistair McGregor: men’s (GK)
Graham Moodie: men’s (reserve)
Niall Stott: men’s (reserve)

9-15 Aug: Judo
Euan Burton: half-middleweight
Sarah Clark: half-middleweight (represents England, but supported by the Scottish Institute of Sport and lives in Edinburgh)
Michelle Rogers: half-heavyweight (represents England, but supported by the Scottish Institute of Sport and lives in Edinburgh)
Andrew Burns (reserve)
James Millar (reserve)

22 Aug: Modern Pentathlon
Mhairi Spence: (reserve)

9-17 Aug: Rowing
Katherine Grainger: quadruple scull

9-17 Aug: Shooting
Jon Hammond: 10m Air Rifle, 50m 3 Positions, 50m Prone

9-23: Swimming
Kirsty Balfour: 100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke
David Carry: 400m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle relay
Todd Cooper: 100m butterfly
Euan Dale: 400m individual medley
Kris Gilchrist: 100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke
Andrew Hunter: 4x200m freestyle relay
Caitlin McClatchey: 100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle, 4x100m Freestyle Relay, 4x200m Freestyle Relay
Hannah Miley: 200m individual medley, 400m individual medley
Alena Popchanka: 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle relay (represents France but lives and trains in Edinburgh)
Robbie Renwick: 200m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle relay
Gregor Tait: 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke

10-17 Aug: Tennis
Andy Murray: singles, doubles
Jamie Murray: doubles

18-19 Aug: Triathlon
Helen Tucker: individual competition (represents Wales but was born in Elgin, Scotland)

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