Boxing star Niamh Mitchell is set to realise a long-held dream this summer by competing for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games.
The 19-year-old has been picked for the squad that will go for glory in Glasgow and has described her selection as "surreal".
She is one of five females, and six males, that have been chosen to step into the ring for their country at the prestigious event, which begins on July 23, and runs until August 2.
Niamh, who competes for Bowhill Miners Boxing Club, received a phone call to tell her the news in advance of the team's announcement this morning (Monday).
Speaking to the Times, she explained: "It just feels so surreal.
"I don't even know how to explain it. It's just a mad feeling, the fact that I'm going now.
"It's mental.
"I was hoping for it, and I feel like I've had quite a strong start to the year, so I was hoping for the phone call that I was picked, but, I guess you never know with these situations.
"It was a weird feeling. I just think, because I've been wanting this since I was young and everything like that, I think everything's just started coming together now.
"I'm proud of myself, obviously, but it's crazy.
"I did kickboxing before, but, I changed over to boxing because there wasn't really anywhere I could get myself in kickboxing, as in the Commonwealth Games, Olympics, stuff like that.
"So, it was always a dream since then to go on and do the Commonwealth Games and stuff like that."
Niamh will make her Commonwealth Games debut, as will all of her team-mates in the squad, which also marks Team Scotland's largest female representation at the event.
During the year of the previous Games, in Birmingham in 2022, the talented teenager made history by winning EUBC (European Boxing Confederation) European Championships gold.
Her success in the 52kg light bantamweight - she's now a 60kg lightweight competitor at senior level - saw her become the first female boxer to claim a major international title for Scotland.
That came just three-and-a-half years after she quit kickboxing to take up the sport and, since then, she's gone on to further success.
Highlights have included winning GB Three Nations Gold, a silver medal at the USA Boxing Summer Festival last year, and competing at the inaugural World Boxing Championships in Liverpool.
In 2026 so far, she's won gold at the Bocskai Tournament in Hungary - claiming Scotland's first-ever senior female international gold at an overseas multi-nation event - and at the Gee Bee Tournament in Finland.
Niamh also collected a bronze medal at the Algirdas Socikas Tournament in Lithuania, whilst she also received a share of National Lottery funding from sportscotland's Athlete Personal Award programme (SAPA) in preparation for the Games.
When she told her family she was picked, Niamh said that they were delighted, taken aback and full of emotion.
She continued: "I feel like putting on the kit and everything like that, it's just kind of hit me, and I'm like, oh my God, I'm actually doing this!
"There's a wee bit of nerves, but, I'm mostly excited.
"It's just an actual dream come true. It just makes me want it more. I want to go out, and I want to be at the top of that podium and everything like that.
"I want to make everyone proud."
Team Scotland’s Chef de Mission, Elinor Middlemiss MBE, said: "I am delighted to welcome this talented boxing squad to Team Scotland for a home Games this summer.
"It’s particularly exciting to see a record female representation in the sport, amongst a group of boxers who have already achieved success on the international stage."
The boxing competition runs from July 24 to August 1, at Glasgow's SEC Centre, and tickets are available at www.glasgow2026.com.
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