Scottish Athletics will recommend Eilidh Doyle’s appointment as a non-executive director to the Annual General Meeting later this month.

Doyle is Scotland’s most decorated track and field athlete and has won medals – either individually or part of relay teams – at all the major competitions – Europeans, Worlds, Commonwealths and Olympics in a glittering career.

Eilidh’s 2018 achievements feature an individual bronze medal in the 400m at the World Indoors in Birmingham and a silver in the 400m Hurdles at Gold Coast 2018, which repeated her feats of Delhi 2010 and Glasgow 2014.

The Scottish 400m hurdles record holder then made it a hat-trick of medals for the calendar year by anchoring GB and NI Women to bronze in the 4 x 400m final at the European Championships in Berlin.

Now she hopes to add her voice to help drive the sport forward by giving an athlete’s perspective at an executive level, alongside the views of Paralympian Jo Butterfield, who has served on the scottishathletics board for the past two years.

“I am keen to act as a voice for athletes and I am hoping I can really contribute and help guide the sport in Scotland by being part of the team on the scottishathletics board,” said Doyle.

“I want to add my knowledge and experience of top global competition to what is already a wide range of people deeply connected to the sport in various roles.

“From my point of view, I feel it’s important to have involvement in what is going on with the sport as a whole. As athletes we tend to be purely involved in our own development and progress but I really want to see the sport flourish too.

“Hopefully being in this role I am able to give something back to a sport which has given me so much.”

Sports lawyer Laura MacCallum has also been co-opted as new company secretary for the organisation following the retirement of David Lindgren.

The two appointments have been approved by the full board and Doyle’s nomination will now go before the AGM for final ratification (with Laura’s appointment being a Board decision). The meeting takes place at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow on Saturday, September 29.

“I’m delighted both Eilidh and Laura are keen to join us and have no hesitation in putting forward their appointments as recommendations to the membership at our meeting in September,” said chairman Ian Beattie.

“They have two very different backgrounds, obviously, but would add significantly to the skillsets and experience on the board and I feel sure that kind of knowledgeable input would be very good for the sport.”

RELATED: Scottish Athletics chairman praises everyone behind national success

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Hurdler Doyle, who captained Great Britain at the World Championships in 2017, has been chosen to carry Scotland’s flag and lead Team Scotland into the Opening Ceremony of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, which takes place at the Carrara Stadium on 4 April.

The multiple Olympic, world, European and Commonwealth medal-winning athlete was appointed flag bearer by her fellow Team Scotland athletes following a vote and was announced today (2 April).

“This is just such a huge honour,” said Doyle reflecting on her selection. “I was really chuffed to have been nominated but to actually be voted to carry the flag is something else.

“It is also very special that I will be the first female to carry the flag. I am very proud to represent women in sport and I am a very patriotic Scot; so to step out and wave the Saltire will be an amazing feeling!”

Eilidh was selected from a strong final shortlist including shooter Jennifer McIntosh, and Lawn Bowls pair Alex Marshall and Paul Foster. The three athletes will be invited to walk out immediately behind Eilidh as deputy flag bearers.

Competing in her third Commonwealth Games, Doyle is a two-time silver medalist, with her performance in the 400m hurdles at Hampden Park during Glasgow 2014 undoubtedly one of the standout moments of Scotland’s most successful ever Games.

She comes to Australia fresh from winning Bronze in the 400m at the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham.

At London 2107, she won silver as part of the 4x400m team. It was that medal which confirmed her as Scotland’s most decorated track and field athlete; and she is the current holder Scottish records in the 400m hurdles, 4x400m and indoor 400m.

Congratulating Eilidh on her selection, Paul Bush OBE, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland said: “The announcement of the team flag bearer is a special occasion, signalling the end of our preparation and the final countdown to what we hope will be our most successful ever overseas Games.

“Eilidh embodies everything Team Scotland stands for as a proud, ambitious and inspirational leader; and the experience she has gathered throughout her illustrious career makes her the perfect candidate to lead us out into the Games Opening Ceremony.”

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Scottish 200m indoor record holder Clark was the first to qualify after winning the third of six heats to the delight of the home crowd inside the Arena Birmingham.

The world relay silver medalist was comfortable throughout the race and came through 200m in 24.44 before crossing the line in 52.75, 0.30 seconds ahead of Poland’s Justyna Święty.

Fellow Scottish record holder and hurdles specialist Doyle lined up in the penultimate heat alongside Ireland’s Healy and world 400m bronze medallist, Stephenie Ann McPherson.

Healy who has recently converted to the 400m from the shorter sprints used her speed for a fast start out in front as the lanes merged running the fastest 200m split 24.03 in all the heats.

Going into the final lap the experience and quality of Doyle and Jamaica’s McPherson came to the fore as the pair moved into first and second, with Healy holding on for third. With the top two automatically advancing, 23-year-old Healy secured one the remaining fastest spots to create a bit of history as the first Irish woman to advance to the semi-final of a 400m at a world indoor championships.

Doyle, who retained her British indoor 400m title last month, said afterwards: “It was a good race although it was tactically a bit different to what I’ve had this year. I would have liked to have won the break and controlled the race but unfortunately I didn’t do that.

“It meant I could just relax that second lap and I knew I could catch them on the home straight. I need to be a bit more aggressive over that first 200m. I’m going to have to be tonight, because tonight is my final I’m going to have to really run my heart out to try and be here tomorrow again.”

Meanwhile, GB debutant Lee Thompson enjoyed a great run in the men’s 400m heats finishing second in 46.81 and qualifying automatically.

The women’s semi-finals take place later tonight at 8:32pm with the men’s afterwards at 9:06pm.

In second men’s 3000m heat Jonny Davies finished 10th in 8:21.73, however after four men, including USA’s Paul Chelmno were disqualified, moved up to sixth. An appeal could yet seem some athletes reinstated.

Davies who clocked a 7:50.18 personal best in Boston this year was obviously disappointed with his showing in Birmingham.

“Obviously disappointing end to a great season,” said Davies afterwards. “Very frustrated and wasn’t myself today but lessons learnt. Onto the summer.”

Ethiopia’s 18-year-old Selemon Barega won the heat in 7:48.14, with compatriot Yomif Kejelcha taking the first heat.

60m heats

Earlier on in the morning session, GB’s Asha Philip ran a very strong opening round in the 60m to advance to the semi-finals on Friday evening. The reigning European gold medalist clocked 7.18 for second to automatically qualify behind Ivory Coast’s Murielle Ahouré.

Bianca Williams, a late call-up to the British team booked her place in the semi-finals as one of the remaining fastest outside the automatic spots, posting 7.31 in the first of six heats.

In the green of Ireland, Amy Foster finished fifth in heat two in 7.35 missing out on a spot in the semi-finals. “It’s not a bad run,” the recent Irish 60m record holder said afterwards. “It’s just not what I was looking for.”

Fellow Irish athlete Ciara Neville ran in the first heat where clocked 7.47 seconds for seventh.

Elsewhere, after three events in the pentathlon, Katarina Johnson-Thompson is in second place, with the 800m and the long jump later this evening.

Johnson-Thompson, competing in the pentathlon for the first time since winning European indoor gold in 2015, opened her campaign with an equal season’s best of 8.36 seconds in the 60m hurdles, before moving into the high jump and a 1.91m best moved her first place. After the shot put, she dropped just one place to second thereafter.

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The 400m hurdler was selected after a ballot by all 78 British teammates, including Mo Farah, Laura Muir and fellow Scottish athletes Eilish McColgan and Andrew Butchart.

Earlier this year, Doyle cemented her place in Scottish athletics history, by becoming the most decorated Scottish track and field athlete after a winning silver at the European Athletics Indoor Championships as part of the 4x400m GB team.

The Scottish athlete was an integral part of bronze medal winning 4x400m Britain team at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Doyle, who finished fourth at the recent Diamond League in Monaco, said: “It’s a huge honour to have been elected by my peers as the Team Captain for British Athletics at London 2017.

“To lead your team at a home World Championships is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and to have your teammates vote that they want you to do it, makes it even more special.”

Absolutely thrilled to have been voted Team Captain for the world championships. It’s such an honour and means so much to me! https://t.co/VvkRPTT0DX

— Eilidh Doyle (@EilidhDoyle) July 24, 2017

The IAAF World Championships will take place at the London Stadium, beginning on 4th August and will conclude on 13th August.

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