Speedboats, handbags and free eggs – during Team Scotland’s kiting-out day

The last time Grieve was at the SEC, which hosted Wednesday’s event, was to watch Walking With Dinosaurs. “It’s way cooler,” he insists, and there’s definitely been a bigger element of showing off at this team camp than in previous iterations.

D Blissful bedlam Free new kits and discarded polythene from Celtic Park were replaced by a slick operation four years ago.

Most of the 177 athletes who will make up the team gathered in an auditorium for a presentation that began with a rousing video saying “The world is our podium, let’s get it”.

Many in the matching blue shirts had been here before and knew what to expect, but for many this would be the first game.

They’ve never seen a self-conscious Scot pipe into a room carrying the king’s baton, or heard words of wisdom from Sir Chris Hoy – “It’s your time”.

Neither of them were instructed to wander around stall after stall offering them various bits and pieces for free.

Many raved about the sunglasses that were being handed out. And judoka Sarah Adlington lamented that her memorable presence made it difficult to hide extra goodies.

Bell, meanwhile, conspiratorially tore open his bag to display the egg cartons and energy drink bottles he’d scrounged from a few vendors.

The atmosphere was relaxed, but the serious stuff would soon begin. And the Scot – as a veteran of four Games, including Glasgow 2014 – is wise enough to realize that none of this has happened.

As of late autumn 2024, there was no confirmed host for the event after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew due to funding issues.

There was serious concern that the Commonwealth Games would no longer exist Scotland – and Glasgow – stepped up With a re-imagined version of what the event might have looked like.

“Glasgow and Scotland don’t get enough credit for what they’ve done,” Scott said. “The legacy of the Commonwealth Games has been able to continue because of them.

“There’s been a lot of talk about lesser sports but India have put their hand up for the Games beyond 2030, with a full sports board, so what Scotland has done to make that happen is amazing.”