ALEX Marshall’s historic fifth Commonwealth Games gold medal has seen him lauded by another legend of the game in East Lothian.

Marshall became Scotland's most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete of all time with gold medal victory in the men's fours last week. 

Marshall's fellow Gifford BC member Willie Wood, who went to a record eight Commonwealth Games and won two gold medals, praised the Tranent star as he became Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Games athlete of all time (see story left).

Wood told Courier Sport: “To go and get the gold and the record is a great achievement for Alex.

“The whole team were brilliant, Derek [Oliver, his team-mate, also from East Lothian] played some great bowls.

“Hopefully this will do something for the sport and encourage more people to give it a go.”

Wood, who celebrates his 80th birthday next Thursday (April 26), was also full of praise for Oliver for his “fantastic” Games debut, adding: “He is a great player and he’s just a young man – he has the ability to go and win any tournament he wants.”

Meanwhile, Marshall’s wife Diane said immediately after the final win last Friday that she was “just amazed” after her husband and his team-mates completed their comeback.

She added: “It was a rollercoaster but I never lose faith in them because they’ve been there before, they’ve come from behind and they can pull out the big bowls when they need to. It was just an amazing day – I’ll never forget it.”

East Lothian MSP Iain Gray has also tabled a motion at the Scottish Parliament congratulating Marshall on a “really exceptional achievement”.

It asks that Holyrood “notes achievement of the bowler Alex ‘Tattie’ Marshall, who is from Tranent, in winning a silver and gold at the Commonwealth Games 2018, thereby becoming the most successful Scottish Commonwealth Games competitor of all time”.

Mr Gray’s motion, supported by 12 of his Parliamentary colleagues, also congratulates Oliver, (pictured below, right, by Garry Bowden/SIPPA) on his gold medals.

East Lothian Courier:

And the MSP told Courier Sport: “I was delighted to see athletes from East Lothian achieve such great success at the Commonwealth Games and make a big contribution to Scotland’s best medal haul away from home.

“I was particularly pleased to see Alex Marshall become our most successful Commonwealth Games athlete of all time.”

Alan McMillan, CEO of Bowls Scotland, said: “It is great for Alex and a great honour for our sport.”