School pupils were put through their paces by four-time Olympian and Commonwealth champion Eilish McColgan during a sport science outreach visit organised by University of the West of Scotland (UWS) last week.

The event, which took place at Strathaven Academy on Friday 8 May, aimed to inspire school pupils, teachers and the wider public by showcasing the breadth and impact of sport and exercise science.

Arranged in collaboration with the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES), the UK professional body for sport and exercise sciences, Eilish’s visit was part of a prize won by sixth-year pupil Ross Munro for his successful poster competition entry on inclusion in disability sport last year.

Ross is a keen runner and is a member of local running club, Strathaven Striders. As part of his prize, Ross was given the opportunity to select an athlete to visit his school and deliver a specialist athlete-development workshop, with Ross choosing Eilish.

 

Fresh from finishing as the top British woman at the 2026 London Marathon, Eilish took part in a panel session with pupils, who given the chance to ask the record-breaking Scottish long-distance runner questions relating to her life and her sport. She was asked about how she juggled sport with her studies, who inspires her, how often she trains and how to get started in sport.

The visit also included practical sessions, with Eilish leading pupils through her own go-to warm up, as well as challenging the students to try out different running paces measured by UWS’s sport science equipment.

Pupils also had the chance to try boccia – a target ball sport similar to bowls, which is often played by athletes with various physical disabilities affecting motor skills. The sport had inspired Ross’s winning poster when he got to experience boccia during a visit to UWS last year, so he wanted his fellow pupils to learn more about it.

 

It’s been fantastic to be here. The pupils asked great questions, and it’s been a lot of fun – I can tell the school is very engaged in sport. I was asked my best piece of advice for young people who are interested in pursuing a career in sport and that would be to join a local club. The qualities and values you learn from sport are so valuable through many stages of life.

 

Eilish McColgan discussing her time at the school.

 

University of the West of Scotland is the only Scottish University to be part of CASES’ national Outreach Hub initiative. The Hub network enables higher education institutions to engage local communities through events like these, as well as school visits, public talks, webinars, and hands-on learning experiences.

 

Being able to offer a taste of sport science to school pupils has been a rewarding experience for everyone involved over the past few years, and now for one of the pupils to win the national poster competition as part of the visit and bring a world class athlete to Strathaven is remarkable. I particularly love that Ross chose a female role model in Eilish McColgan – she is relatable and inspiring to all.

 

Dr Hayley McEwan MCASES, Senior Lecturer in Psychology of Sport and co-lead of the UWS Outreach Hub

 

Chris Love, Principal Teacher of Physical Education at Strathaven Academy, said: “We are incredibly proud of Ross for his outstanding achievement, which has brought the inspiring presence of Eilish McColgan to Strathaven Academy. This is a momentous occasion for our entire school community, and we extend our sincere thanks, not only to Eilish but to the University of the West of Scotland for their partnership and dedication to fostering these connections, providing our young people with a firsthand look at what can be achieved through perseverance and talent.”

 

Inclusion in sport is extremely important me and I want to see it become more accessible for all, which is what inspired my winning poster. It’s incredible to host this event today at my School and I want to thank everyone who helped make it happen, including Eilish for coming all this way. Sport is important to me and I have always been involved in some way. I run, play golf and I was golf captain at my club. For me, I want to build on that in the local community and I’m passionate about getting as many people involved in sport as possible. I start University soon and look forward to joining sports clubs and societies there – it was interesting to listen to Eilish talk about the importance and benefits of being part of a sports club.

 

Competition winner Ross Munro

 

You can find out more about the sports courses available at University of the West of Scotland here. Find out more about CASES here.