JAKE WIGHTMAN has become one of the first three athletes to be selected for Scotland’s home Commonwealth Games next year on the back of his World Championships silver medal.

Wightman, Neil Gourley and Megan Keith have all been selected for Glasgow 2026 after achieving top-12 finishes in Tokyo to meet the first phase of qualification criteria for Team Scotland.

Wightman and Gourley will both take part in the Commonwealth Mile, which will replace the 1,500 metres, while Keith will make her Commonwealth Games debut in the 10,000m.

Wightman appeared at Glasgow 2014 and won bronze medals in both of the subsequent Commonwealth Games. His 2022 medal came in the same month-long period when he clinched World gold and European silver.

The 31-year-old said: “To be the first athletes selected in what is going to be a huge team is pretty cool.

“A home Games is going to be really special. I thought Glasgow 2014 was going to be my only experience, so to get the chance to come back to Glasgow and compete at another one is fantastic.

“This time I’m a better athlete, much more experienced and wiser, so I hope I can get out there and do my best for Scotland and get on that podium.”

Gourley finished eighth in the 1,500m final in 2022 and reached the Olympic final two years later.

He said: “There’s been two occasions where I’ve been selected to compete in Glasgow, only to taken out by illness, and the other by injury. Both were devastating in their own ways, so I’m going to have to put that right this time.

“I’m incredibly proud that I’ll get to represent Scotland in my home city. I might not get the opportunity again, so this is a special one.”

Former world junior orienteering champion and European Under-23 5,000m champion Keith achieved a top-10 finish in the 10,000m in Tokyo after an ankle injury ruined her Olympic dream.

The 23-year-old said: “Competing for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games is going to be very special.

“I’ve watched the Commonwealth Games on TV for years and I wanted to go and see it when it was in Glasgow 11 years ago but we didn’t manage to get tickets.

“It’s not something I ever dreamed about competing at myself, but for me the Commonwealth Games is always so much cooler than the Olympics or other events because everyone is competing in their Scotland vests.”