MORE than two decades after earning the first of her three Commonwealth Games podium places, Yvonne Murray is still proving an inspiration.
More pertinently, her collection of medals are. The athlete was among the famous faces in the throng celebrating at the Fruitmarket in Glasgow on Friday as the city was giving the go-ahead to host the 2014 games, but while her days of competing at th
at level are behind her, she is still playing her part, according to Dougie Donnelly, Scottish Institute of Sport Chairman.
"Yvonne was on stage with me and she had the medals round the neck and I picked up the gold medal and said to her 'You know, every time I see somebody with a medal I want to hold it' and she said 'that's exactly what everyone else wants to do as well'. There's a mystical thing about a medal, people want to look at it, want to hold it and it has a wonderful inspirational effect and especially for kids and it's absolutely crucial that we keep all our successful athletes involved up to 2014 and beyond that if we want to make the most of these Commonwealth Games."
At the moment the enthusiasm knows few bounds and the lure of competing in front of a home crowd and winning a medal for their country is there, but the sporting bodies have to work hard to ensure that endures beyond 2014, according to Donnelly. "Thankfully, I think everyone seems to be very aware of the legacy factor. It's not just going to be a party for two weeks in 2014, it has to have a lasting impact. We have to use it to ensure all our youngsters are more active and I have been saying for years that, because we are a northern European country with a pretty lousy climate a lot of the time, we need to have fantastic indoor sports facilities in our towns and cities. And, although that has been a failure of successive governments over the last 50 years never mind recently, if hosting these Games drives that realisation home then that will be a wonderful legacy.
"That has become absolutely crucial now and, okay, it will cost a lot of money but there will be huge savings in the health budget and the social budget because if kids are active and playing sport then we all know that they are healthier and are not out getting ASBOs or causing trouble.
"Of course it all comes down to money but if there is a political will because of 2014 and even the London Olympics in 2012 and the desire for the host nations to perform well, then we have to capitalise on it and make sure we keep the momentum going beyond those major events.
"And it's not just facilities. Kids should be getting more than two hours of PE a week. If we are really serious about wanting healthier youngsters and about producing more athletes and top performers across the sports, it should be a whole Wednesday afternoon they are getting. And the good thing now is that kids are excited about 2014 so they will be happy to do that."
The exciting factor for those involved in sport now is that host nations traditionally do well, with extra investment in the build up and more vocal backing vested on the actual day. The by-product of that is more sporting heroes to inspire the next generation. Donnelly says there is the support for the elite once they turn that interest into real potential and top performances.
"From a performance point of view, now that we have the Games, we don't want the embarrassment of under-performing. We want to be well up that medal table with strong representation from Scots in every event. I do think we will need more money if we are to produce that success. I'm not saying the Institute needs it right now, although it would be nice, but when we have added numbers coming through the system, as we hope to have at the elite end over the next few years in preparation for these Games, then that will have to be taken into consideration in terms of the budget. In the meantime, all we ask is that we are left alone to get on with it, without interference, focus groups, inquiries or think tanks. Of course 2014 is important but before we even reach that point we have the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, two Olympic Games and the Winter Olympics and we want success in all of them and beyond. It's about keeping this feeling of excitement going and the best way to do that is to have success and role models to act as an inspiration. I've never yet met a successful Scottish sportsman or woman who wasn't happy to go and talk to kids and help them."
The aim is to have an embarrassment of such riches during the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Donnelly is looking even further ahead, though. He wants those Games to acts simply as the incentive, the legacy being a conveyor belt of talent for decades after.
