AMAZING Grace Reid hit all the right notes to deliver the nation’s first diving gold medal for half a century then belted out a rousing rendition of Flower of Scotland for all the world to hear.
Mumbling The Corries’ famous folk song under your breath has become something of a Hampden tradition but this 21-year-old from Edinburgh was loud and proud in the Optus Aquatics Centre after nailing her first major individual medal for her country in the
1m springboard.
“I thought ‘I shouldn’t sing, should I? Don’t embarrass yourself!’ she said. “Then I thought ‘Don’t be so silly, if you don’t sing now, when are you ever going to sing!’ I’ve never stood on a podium to Flower of Scotland before so that was one of the biggest honours of my career.”
In addition to our first gold medal from the diving board since Sir Peter Heatly in 1958, this was Scotland’s first female diving medal. James, Sir Peter’s grandson, who took bronze in the men’s 1m springboard, ran down to embrace Reid when her first position at the top of the leaderboard, which she moved up to with a reverse one and a half somersault with pike with her second of five dives, became unassailable.
On a memorable day for British diving, Reid took pleasure in the gold medal won by Tom Daley, her usual synchro partner whom she now trains alongside in the Olympic pool.
“I haven’t had time to congratulate him yet – I should probably do that,” said Reid. “That’s not the England- Scotland thing though, it’s friendly rivalry even when we’re on the same team! He’s a fantastic guy to train with and to compete with, it’s given me a lot of confidence.”
Eight years ago in Delhi, aged just 13, Reid had been christened “Baby Grace” on her Commonwealth debut. She was unkindly dubbed “Grandma Grace” by her team-mates this time around, but this was a mature performance which reaped all the rewards it deserved. For a start she didn’t get freaked out when, only a week out from the competition, she was walking around in a moon boot, in a bid to alleviate pain caused by the additional piece of bone, or bone spur, she has in her foot – and her best event is still to come today.
“I’m maybe not surprised, just a little bit speechless,” said Reid.
“A lot of hard work has gone into this season, there have been so many ups and downs, especially with my injury.
“I was in a moon boot last week, and the week before. It was more precautionary to keep me in one piece. I like to train hard, which isn’t helping, but we’re dealing with it and it won’t stop me training. My medical team have been fantastic at just keeping me going as hard as I can without risking more injury.
“That’s been a real battle in the past couple of weeks particularly, there’s been a lot on my mind so to be able to go in and focus like that, it was surreal.
“Scottish diving has come on in leaps and bounds,” she added.”From novices all the way through now. We have four people at a Commonwealth Games for a start, which was unheard of just eight years ago in Delhi. So to see the team and depth growing at all levels is brilliant.”
Daley won his fourth Commonwealth Games gold medal in the synchronised 10m platform then used his platform to make a point or two. Same-sex marriage was only made legal here in December, while homosexuality remains illegal in 70% of the 53 Commonwealth countries. “Coming to the Gold Coast and being able to live as an openly gay man is really important,” said the 23-year-old.
“You want to feel comfortable in who you are when you are standing on that diving board, and for 37 Commonwealth countries that are here participating that is not the case. We have to talk about these things and shine a light on them.”
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