Commonwealth Games: Scotland flag-bearer Euan Burton praised by Sir Chris Hoy
Last Updated: 22/07/14 8:09am
Sir Chris Hoy has told Team Scotland flag-bearer Euan Burton there is no greater honour than leading out your peers.
Judoka Burton was named on Monday as the athlete who will lead the Scotland team during Wednesday's Commonwealth Games opening ceremony at Celtic Park.
Hoy performed the duties for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics and knows how special it will be for the 35-year-old.
Hoy said: "I've been a team-mate of Euan's over the years; he's a great ambassador for his sport and for Scotland, so it makes complete sense that he's been voted by his peers to carry the flag into the opening ceremony.
"I don't think there's a greater accolade than to be recognised by your peers because these are the guys who do the same thing as you; they know all about the hard work, the commitment, training and lifestyle that you have to adopt to become successful in your sport."
Burton has already learned from Hoy ahead of his starring role.
I've been a team-mate of Euan's over the years; he's a great ambassador for his sport and for Scotland, so it makes complete sense that he's been voted by his peers to carry the flag into the opening ceremony.
Sir Chris Hoy
"I remember walking in behind Chris Hoy in London and experiencing that spine-tingling moment when we entered the stadium," he said.
Generous
"I probably shouldn't say this, but I've been on YouTube a couple of times just to relive the moment Chris walked out in front of us in 2012 to take a few tips from that."
Glasgow 2014 organisers gave a few more hints about the ceremony itself by stressing they would give Glaswegians the main voice in the two-hour spectacle.
Head of ceremonies David Zolkwer said: "Given Glasgow is such a generous, hospitable, warm city, it seemed natural to think about how we behave as a host.
"So the ceremony is about all of us - being interested in the people we are inviting into our house and hearing their stories, and looking more at what we have in common than what differentiates us.
"It's got humour, warmth, celebrating what we have in common. Having said all that, it will always feel like it was created in Glasgow.
"So although we are telling a universal story, we are telling it with a distinctly Glaswegian accent, which means we are going to be irreverent, funny, principled, sincere, inclusive, personal, direct. We are talking down the lens - we are not asking the world to watch a show."
