Evans battles nerves to become Scotland’s breakout star

Angharad Evans, a Welsh-born swimmer training at Stirling University, emerged as Scotland's standout performer at the Commonwealth Games swimming events at Tollcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow. Despite describing herself as a "nervous swimmer" who avoids thinking about medals to perform at her best, she won two individual breaststroke gold medals plus a silver and bronze in relay events, ending the meet with four medals overall in front of a home crowd.

Evans took gold in the 100m breaststroke and, after a slow start, the 200m breaststroke, before helping Scotland to silver behind Australia in the women's 4x100m medley relay on the final night. Her Stirling training partner Duncan Scott had predicted her success, though even Evans said she hadn't believed it herself; Scott, however, missed out on defending his 200m freestyle title after failing to qualify for the final. Elsewhere in the pool, Aberdeen's Toni Shaw won bronze in the women's S9 100m freestyle, denying Australia a clean sweep, as Scotland claimed four medals on the closing night of swimming action.