Kieron to lead Commonwealth Games team of mentors

OSS Ambassador Kieron Achara has been named among the new mentors for the 2022 Achieve Programme, run by Commonwealth Games Scotland in partnership with the Team Scotland Youth Trust and sportscotland.

The Achieve Programme was created in 2010 to enable young athletes and coaches from a range of sports to gain critical knowledge and experience of a multi-sport environment. In its inaugural year, 45 young athletes and coaches travelled to the Delhi Commonwealth Games, and a further 90 participants have since come through the programme with many going on to compete for Team Scotland or coach at a Commonwealth Games.

Returning for the Birmingham Games, ‘Achieve 2022’ will aim to propel more future stars onto sporting success, while also helping them develop a host of vital and transferrable life skills. The programme is led by Achieve Director Kevin Moran, who participated in Achieve 2010 before representing Team Scotland in Squash at Glasgow 2014 and Gold Coast 2018, supported by Lead Mentor Kieron Achara MBE, part of Scotland’s 2018 Basketball side and former GB Basketball captain, Olympian and most-capped GB player.

The OSS has been working with Commonwealth Games Scotland to survey athletes and understand how they can be better supported prior to, during and after representing Scotland in the Comonwealth Games, with a particular focus on connecting athletes to their communities and vice versa. The Achieve programme is one of several routes to providing support.

A further 12 mentors have been appointed to ‘Achieve 2022’, with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. They are:

Ailsa Wylie – a sportscoltand Lead Manager for School & Community Sport, who competed for Team Scotland at Hockey in 2010 and 2014.
Bob Easson – Achieve Mentor 2010, Team Scotland Rugby Sevens Assistant Coach in 2006 and Boxing Team Manager in 2014.
Cameron Brodie – Performance Lifestyle Advisor at sportscotland Institute of Sport. Competed for Team Scotland in Swimming in 2010 and 2014, being part of the silver-medal winning relay teams at both.
Ciaran O’Brien – Head of Sport, University West of Scotland. Former Swimming Coach at sportscotland Institute of Sport and coached at four World University Games.
Emma Brunning – Coach and Mentor. Contractor for British and World Triathlon, Premier League and UK Coaching.
Gillian Sanders – UK-based lawyer, represented South Africa in Triathlon at two Commownealth Games and three Olympic Games.
Jay Runga – Mentor Developer, Scottish Gymnastics. Young Athlete Coach mentor, Scottish Disability Sports.
Jenny Davis – Business Improvement Consultant, former British and Scottish cyclist and Judo international. Competed for Team Scotland in Cycling in 2010 (winning silver) and 2014.
Kaz Cuthbert – Physiotherapist, represented Team Scotland in Hockey in 2010 and as captain in 2018.
Megan Richardson – Sport & Active Health Coordinator, Scottish Student Sport. Former Scottish National Badminton Squad player and leader with Youth Sport Trust.
Ross Walker – University of Edinburgh Academy of Sport, British Council. Competition Manager for the Homeless World Cup Foundation’s inaugural Four Nations Cup. Former Scottish international Basketball player, PhD student and tutor, University of Edinburgh.
Seonaid McIntosh – Represented Team Scotland at Shooting in 2014 and 2018, winning a bronze medal in the latter. World and European Champion and Olympian.