Sarah Adlington is feeling a lot of things as she finalises her preparations for Glasgow 2026, where she will attempt to make history.
The 39-year-old from Edinburgh is, by quite some distance, the most experienced member of Scotland’s 13-strong judo squad that will head to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next month. And as she contemplates he third Commonwealth Games appearance, she’s aiming to achieve something that has never been done.
Adlington already has two Commonwealth Games gold medals to her name. The first she won at Glasgow 2014 and the second at Birmingham 2022. She will step onto the mat at Glasgow 2026 vying to make it a hat-trick of gold medals, which no judoka on the planet has ever managed previously.
The prospect of of winning three Commonwealth Games golds, and the proximity of her attempt at this is, perhaps unsurprisingly given its significance, invoking many, many emotions within Adlington but she is constantly reminding herself that just being in this rarefied position is a privilege.
“You'd be stupid if you weren’t nervous,” says Adlington.
“So there are nerves, and I’m excited, too. And then I remove myself and I remind myself this is a complete bonus Games.
“Judo wasn't meant to be in (the 2026 Commonwealth Games) because it was initially going to be in Australia and my career would be done if it wasn't for this Commonwealth Games ending-up in Glasgow. So to have the opportunity to represent Team Scotland for a third time is amazing.”
Adlington’s mix of emotions are also as a result of one particularly significant decision she’s made about her future, which is that she will retire this summer. This Commonwealth Games will be Adlington’s final competitive appearance on a judo mat and having been in this sport for almost as long as she can remember, and having been a professional athlete for over two decades, life as a former athlete rather than a current one is something she can scarcely imagine. But there is also, she admits, something thrilling about moving onto the next chapter of her life in just a few weeks’ time.
“This is definitely my last competition. On the 2nd of August, my competitive judo gi will be hung up, although my gi will never be hung up for good, I don't think,” the heavyweight, who also represented GB at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, says.
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“Representing Scotland for a third time is a fantastic way to finish. But it’s daunting, too. 22 years of doing judo and being a full-time athlete - it’s everything I've known as an adult.
“Change is always daunting but it's exciting and who knows what opportunities will come my way after these Games.
“You just have to take every opportunity that's thrown at you. I've had some really nice opportunities in the run up to Glasgow 2026 already so I'm just trying to enjoy them and soak up everything that I can in this last run-up.”
While Adlington is quick to stress that a third gold medal isn’t the be-all and end-all for her, she’s also aware that stepping off the mat having become a three-time Commonwealth champion would be the ultimate fairy-tale ending. But of even more significance to Adlington, who works as a Programme Manager at Edinburgh Judo, is the impact she and her fellow judoka can potentially have on the next generation who may well be seeing world-class judo for the first time ever at Glasgow 2026.
"A third gold would obviously be the fairytale ending to my career, wouldn't it? But I keep telling everyone that no one's done it before because it's nigh on impossible to do, and fairytale endings don't happen that often. But if I could finish my career on top of the podium and hear the Flower of Scotland one more time, that would be incredible,” she says.
“So, yes, it would be fantastic to win gold and obviously that's the aim but if that doesn't happen, then what a career I've had anyway.
“In Glasgow, I want to be an advocate for women and I want to be an advocate for young girls in sport, especially by showing them that people of all shapes and sizes can be successful.
“I'm 6 foot 1 and when I was growing up, there weren't any bigger girls. So to be able to show people that whatever shape or size you are, there's a sport for you is a great thing.
“Kids doing judo can positively impact their lives and make them better people. That's what judo initially was for - to have a positive impact on society and that's so important and so valuable - and that's what I care about.
“Yes, you can coach kids who win but if you can make them a better person who positively impacts society and then they go on and positively impact the next generation then that's a huge win. They might not have a gold medal around their neck, but it's a win.”
Also selected for Scotland's judo squad for Glasgow 2026 is Gregor Miller, with the heavyweight from Perth making his Commonwealth Games debut at Glasgow 2026.
The 22-year-old is the current Scottish champion and British silver medallist and he heads into Glasgow 2026 aiming to add Commonwealth champion to his resumé.
With the English contingent along with Welsh judoka, Josh Whitehouse, who is current British champion, Miller’s most dangerous challengers for gold, claiming the top step of the podium is far from a certainty. But with the Scot in the form of his life, illustrated by his maiden European Cup medal earlier this season, he’s optimistic he can continue the proud tradition of Scottish judoka winning gold at the Commonwealth Games.
“The Commonwealth Games coming to Glasgow gave me a boost to go on and hit the qualification standard, because I've had one of the best results in my career in that last few months and that's been caused by having that extra motivation of knowing there's going to be home Games,” he says.
“Arguably, European Cups and European Opens in judo are harder than the Commonwealth Games but if you medal at a European Cup, people go, so what? But if you say you medalled at the Commonwealth Games, everybody's like, 'Wow, that's so cool.’
“England has a strong team and Josh Whitehouse of Wales beat me in the British final, but I also beat him in Canada so it's 1-1 at the moment. So hopefully in the Games final, I'll beat him.”
