The coolest moment of Toni Shaw’s Commonwealth Games was captured on camera, the moment she rewarded her parents’ support.
The Aberdeen swimmer won bronze in the S9 100m freestyle in Birmingham and immediately picked out her parents, Shona and Martin, who were in the crowd at the Aquatics Centre in Sandwell.
Twelve months earlier, they were not able to go out to Tokyo as their daughter brought home a bronze medal from the Paralympic Games. Given the tight Covid guidelines around the Paralympics, they had to make do with an armchair view back home in the Granite City.
But at a Commonwealth Games that delivered plenty of moments to celebrate from a Scottish perspective, Shaw got a special family one to share.
“That’s what everyone wants to go there and do, win a medal,” said Shaw. “I don’t really remember much about the race – I haven’t watched it back.
“I was obviously really happy and my family were there, so I went to give them a big hug. It was nice as they hadn’t seen me race for a while and obviously weren’t able to go out to Tokyo.
“To be honest I don’t think my dad was that bothered about the swimming – he just wanted to go out to Japan!
“Every time you get a chance to be part of Team Scotland, it’s special because everyone is so supportive of each other.
Shaw was the youngest athlete selected for Scotland at the Gold Coast Games, making her big-event debut at the age of just 14.
Even though she is still a teenager, Shaw approaches elite sport with a wise head.
Swimming is one of those sports at the Games were athletes can be competing continually, in more than one discipline. Races soon stack up.
Poor or positive performances almost have to be treated with a cold indifference, so as to not allow any emotions carry over into the next event.
“It’s very different being there quite a lot older. Before I was thinking ‘this is cool’ but now I was able to take a bit more in.
“With swimming, once you’ve done one thing you want to do something else. Obviously, you’re happy with what you’ve done and enjoy it for a bit but then there’s always something else to look forward to.
“You can’t be too happy or sad in the moment. If you have a good race you don’t forget about it but until you finish the meet, you put it to the back of your mind.
“We did really well – I don’t think anyone expected us to get that many medals.”
If all goes well, Shaw should have many years ahead of her in international competition. The next Games in four years’ time will be held in Victoria in Australia, which would bring her back to where it all started.
“I would love to go back to Australia (in four years’ time). It would be so nice to be part of Team Scotland again.
“Everyone says to me that surely I don’t get nervous because I’ve been doing it for so long, but I still get the same butterflies before a race.”
