BOWLS stars Alex Marshall and Derek Oliver won gold this morning (Friday) as part of the Scotland men's fours team at the Commonwealth Games.
The medal is a historic one for Marshall - it makes him Scotland's most successful Commonwealth Games athlete of all time.
GOLD! Scotland take 4 in the final end to beat Australia 15-13 in an incredible Men's Fours final! What a fantastic performance from Ronnie Duncan, Derek Oliver, Paul Foster and Alex Marshall! #TeamScot2018 pic.twitter.com/dIfNuWtz5T
— Team Scotland (@Team_Scotland) April 13, 2018
His fifth gold medal - adding to two he won in Glasgow four years ago, and golds in Melbourne (2006) and Manchester four years earlier - takes him ahead of sprinter Alan Wells and para-cyclist Neil Fachie on the all-time medal list.
Alex Marshall is Team Scotland's most successful Commonwealth Games athlete of all-time!
— Team Scotland (@Team_Scotland) April 13, 2018
That magnificent gold in the Men's Fours takes him to 5 x 🥇and 1 x🥈 to top the list ahead of Allan Wells and Paul Foster goes third all-time with 4 x🥇and 1 x🥈#TeamScot2018 pic.twitter.com/FYiO1fX9CT
In the final, Gifford BC member Marshall joined Cockenzie & Port Seton star Oliver alongside Paul Foster and Ronnie Duncan to take on hosts Australia.
The home side led 8-2 after three ends and 13-11 in the final end but the Scots picked up four shots to win gold.
It is Oliver's second gold of the Games having already topped the podium in the men's triples.
They were congratulated by Stewart Harris, sportscotland chief executive.
He said: "Congratulations to Alex, Paul, Ronnie and Derek on winning gold.
"It couldn’t have been a more dramatic conclusion with Scotland taking four in the final end to win, they did brilliantly to hold their nerve."
East Lothian MSP Iain Gray also had his say on social media (see tweet below)
Well done Alex. A sporting legend, and an absolute gentleman to boot. #EastLothian very proud of you! https://t.co/IDCyLkVOKX
— Iain Gray (@IainGrayMSP) April 13, 2018
Martin Whitfield, the county's MP, added: "Congratulations to Alex in an amazing fifth gold."
Bowls Scotland tweeted: "Many congratulations to the team, coaches and staff!"
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