Keogh’s gold strengthens Delhi chances

Milngavie wrestler Sean Keogh strengthened his chances of being selected for the Scottish team heading for October’s Delhi Commonwealth Games after winning the gold medal in the British Closed Championships in Glasgow on the weekend.

The competition was the final of three pre-qualification events for the India-bound Scottish team.  Of the 10 Scottish wrestlers who have now achieved the pre-selection criteria 22 year old Sean is one of two to have achieved the targets in all three events.

“I wanted to get qualification scores in all three to give myself the best chance of going to India so I'm really pleased about how I did in the qualification events,” said Sean, who competes in the 74kg category.

“It's really good because I've been putting in a lot of training for the last two years and it's pretty much all paying off now.

“The Commonwealth Games is really important for me because it's one of the largest sporting events in the world and it’s the only chance you get to compete for Scotland in a multi sport event.  So it would be phenomenal to go.”

Sean, a full time athlete, is supported of the West of Scotland Institute of Sport, part of sportscotland’s area institute network which focuses on preparing Scotland’s best athletes to perform on the world stage by providing high performance expertise.

“The coaching setup in Scotland is brilliant,” he said.  “Volodimyr is a top coach who has worked with teams from Russia and Ukraine and has an unlimited fountain of knowledge.  In the two years I have been working with him I have made vast improvements. 

“I’m in my second season with the institute and their professional help is brilliant.  You have everything you need, everything is planned out well in advance so know what you are going to be doing in every session. 

“The strength and conditioning is brilliant and I've had quite a few injuries so having a professional physiotherapist for any injuries, niggling or serious, is a big help.”

Gallagher chasing gold


Glasgow’s Kathryn Gallagher only began wrestling six months ago but has twice reached the qualifying criteria for the Scottish team heading for this October’s Delhi Commonwealth Games, after winning the bronze medal in this weekend’s British Closed Championships at Glasgow.   

“It’s fantastic to have got the qualification score twice for Delhi,” said the 26 year old from Cathcart, who also achieved the criteria at last year’s British Open. 

Gallagher, who competes in the 59kg category, has a background in Mixed Martial Arts and only took up wrestling as she felt it was one of her weaker disciplines.

“I wasn't very good at wrestling and my coach said he wouldn't give me a fight until I got better at,” she said.

“So I came down to train with the wrestlers about six months ago and found it was an amazing sport.   I love the sport just in itself, which is why I’m concentrating on it.”

Since she committed herself to wrestling Gallagher has been supported by the West Scotland Institute of Sport, part of sportscotland’s area institute network which focuses on preparing Scotland’s best athletes to perform on the world stage by providing high performance expertise.

“I wasn't thinking about Delhi six months ago, I just wanted to get better at wrestling so I could compete,” she said.

“But the coaching from Volodimyr Gladkov is brilliant and the support from the institute, with physio, strength and conditioning, is fantastic. It’s an amazing sport and I’ve made a huge improvement since I started.

“I'd like to be in the team for Delhi and I'm going to train as if I am and see what happens.”

Connell conquers all

Larbert wrestler Tracy Connell has overcome a long term injury to meet the Scottish team’s pre selection criteria for this October’s Delhi Commonwealth Games after winning the gold medal in the British Closed Championships in Glasgow on the weekend.

Connell was one of a group of judo players who switched sports to wrestling in 2008 in order to compete in Delhi, judo not featuring in the event.  But a knee injury picked up a year ago in Madrid during one of her first wrestling bouts has kept her out of competition.  This weekend’s British Closed was her final opportunity (of three) to reach the selection criteria.  

“This was my first competition since my injury and the aim was obviously to get the qualification so it’s great that it’s happened,” she said afterwards.  

“The knee feels good and I got gold in the under 63 category, which was a good experience and great preparation for India if I get selected for the team.” 

Connell is a member of the Central Scotland Institute of Sport, part of sportscotland’s area institute network which focuses on preparing Scotland’s best athletes to perform on the world stage by providing high performance expertise.

“The institute’s medical support and strength and conditioning have been a fantastic help,” she said.  “The coaching has been great, and now I just need a bit more technical work and get more match fitness.”

McKenna in the mix

Clydebank wrestler Craig McKenna has met the Scottish team’s pre selection criteria for this October’s Delhi Commonwealth Games after winning the bronze medal in the British Closed Championships in Glasgow on the weekend.

“I'm delighted to win the bronze medal,” said the 19 year old, 55kg category competitor. “This was the last opportunity to get a medal and the qualification for Delhi.  That was the main aim and I've done that.”

Consistently good Scottish results across the board are testament to the success of the Scottish Wrestling Association’s programme managed by its Performance & Development Manager, John Keogh, and its National Coach, Volodimyr Gladkov.  The wrestling programme started in February 2008, featuring a number of girls who had transferred from judo.

“Ten of our athletes have met the pre qualification criteria for Delhi”, said Keogh.  “With seven women pre-qualifying I am fairly certain that we will have a female wrestler in each weight division in India.  I am extremely happy with that.

“The British Closed was the final qualifier.  After that everything has to be submitted by 20 July and then we’ll wait until 20 August to see who is in the team.”

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Text and images courtesy of Rob Eyton-Jones and the sportscotland Area Institutes of Sport