Taking the Games by the scruff of the neck

Published on Sunday 21 July 2002 01:00

His team-mate Graeme Randall is one of the better-known names in the Bank of Scotland Scottish team for the Commonwealth Games, but David Somerville is considered by certain others to be a quiet contender.

For those in judo circles a medal for Somerville would be more just reward than revelation, and if the most optimistic forecasts prove accurate, he may not be the only Scot to return with such a decoration.

Judo has not featured on the Commonwealth Games programme since 1990, when Scotland won one gold, three silver and four bronze medals, so Manchester represents a rare opportunity.

Somerville, a 28-year-old management and marketing student at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, agrees that for him it will probably be a one-off. But he will relish it, particularly since his participation was in some doubt while he spent much of the last year recovering from surgery on his shoulder.

Somerville is a patriotic Scot, though his proudest sporting moment came when he represented Britain at the last Olympics. Thoughts of Sydney only heighten his anticipation of the Manchester Games.

"I was quite surprised by the Olympics," he smiles. "I’d seen the opening ceremony on television before and, cynical Scotsman that I am, I thought it just looked like a Coca-Cola advert. I never really bought into all that.

"But when I walked into the stadium for the opening ceremony, there I was running about with the flag. I really did buy into it then. I am very proud to be Scottish, so I didn’t honestly think that walking out behind the Union Jack would really do it for me. And then getting a video message from the Prime Minister and the Queen was tremendous. A great experience."

At the Commonwealth Games he expects to feel a surge of pride that will exceed the heightened emotion of Sydney. "I feel that I represent Scotland, my club and my family every time I compete, but this is the only opportunity to represent Scotland in a major championship. So I’m really excited about it. I think the Games are going to be tremendous, and it’s a great opportunity for judo too.

"Scotland has a really good chance of doing well. Nobody at the federation will say that because they don’t want to get hopes up."

Somerville does not say so, of course, but that means medals. Randall, the world champion three years ago, has, like the 66kg Somerville, recovered from injury and is a gold medal contender in the under-81kg category.

Randall provides some inspiration for the rest of the team, according to Somerville. In the past he has cast something of a shadow on his team-mates, though Somerville, a close friend, argues that any petty jealousy is in the past.

Somerville’s own record may not equal his more illustrious team-mate’s, but it is distinguished, with medals at the British Open, Hungary Cup, Italian Open and German Open, and, of course, that appearance at the Sydney Olympics. Were he to fulfil his potential in Manchester, Somerville would quickly find himself elevated to the same level as Randall.

It would also complete his comeback from the serious injury he suffered five years ago, when he damaged vertebrae in his neck.

Another Scot, Fiona Robertson, is a contender in the under-48kg category, though her joy at selection is tinged with sadness, since it meant her twin sister, Donna, winner of a bronze medal in 1990, misses out.