The last time Grieve was in the SEC, which hosted Wednesday’s event, was to see Walking with Dinosaurs. “This is waaaay cooler,” she insisted, and there was certainly a greater element of show to this team camp than at previous iterations.
The joyous bedlam of the new kit free-for-all and discarded polythene from Celtic Park four years ago was replaced by a slick operation.
The majority of the 177 athletes who will make up the team were gathered in an auditorium for a presentation that began with a rousing video declaring “the world is our podium, let’s bring it hame”.
Plenty of those clad in matching blue shirts had been here before and knew what to expect, but for many this will be a first Games.
They have never watched a slightly self-conscious Scott being piped in to a room carrying the King’s Baton, or listened to the words of wisdom from Sir Chris Hoy – “this is your time”.
Neither have they been directed to wander round a succession of stalls offering up assorted bits and pieces to them for free.
Many raved about the sunglasses that were being handed out. And judoka Sarah Adlington bemoaned that her memorable appearance made sneaking extra goodies tricky.
Bell, meanwhile, conspiratorially cleaved open her bag to display boxes of eggs and bottles of energy drinks she had liberated from a couple of the vendors.
The atmosphere was one of relaxed giddiness, but the serious stuff will start soon. And Scott – as the veteran of four Games including Glasgow 2014 – is wise enough to appreciate that all of this might never have happened.
As late as autumn 2024, there was no confirmed host for the event after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew because of funding issues.
There were grave concerns the Commonwealth Games would be no more, until Scotland – and Glasgow – stepped in with a reimagined version of what the event could look like.
“Glasgow and Scotland don’t get enough credit for what they have done,” Scott said. “The Commonwealth Games legacy has been able to continue because of them.
“There’s been a lot of talk about fewer sports but India have put their hand up for the next Games in 2030, with a full board of sports, so what Scotland have done to make that happen is amazing.”
