Susan Egelstaff: 'I think the Olympics will go ahead'

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What’s been the highlight of your career?

The highlight of my career as an athlete was competing at the Olympic Games in London in 2012. Since a kid, I'd dreamt of becoming an Olympian and having the opportunity to be a part of an Olympics in my home country was incredible.

As a journalist, the highlight was the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 - there was such a great atmosphere in the city so it was fantastic to be involved in it.

What’s your favourite part of Scotland and why?

My favourite part of Scotland is Glasgow - I'm originally from Glasgow and lived there until I moved to Edinburgh in 2013. As much as I like Edinburgh, it's just not like Glasgow and I still take every chance I can get to come back through to the west. In particular, I love the south side of Glasgow, especially all the wee cafes in Shawlands and Battlefield.

What do you write about for The Herald? Give us a brief description

I write about sport, particularly Olympic sports. I do a lot of athletics, boxing, swimming and tennis amongst many other sports. I also enjoy writing about sports that don't always get as much publicity - athletes in smaller sports often have really interesting stories to tell that haven't yet been told.

What will be the biggest sports stories of 2021 and the next decade?

The biggest sports story of this year will be the Olympics, especially as it'll take place under such unusual circumstances. Over the next decade, I expect some of the biggest stories to be the development of shoe technology in track and field, the retirement of Andy Murray and, inevitably, doping.

What is your favourite sport to write about, and why?

I love writing about athletics, especially at the moment. Scotland's track and field athletes are performing amazingly on the world stage at the moment and there's a number who are seriously challenging for world and Olympic medals. The strength-in-depth of Scottish athletics makes it great to write about and what makes it particularly enjoyable is I've loved watching the sport since I was a kid.

What can sports fans in Scotland look forward to this year besides the world of football?

Scottish sports fans can look forward to some incredible performances from our athletes at the Olympics this summer - Scottish athletes could well bring home a raft of medals in a range of sports. Katie Archibald, Duncan Scott, Laura Muir, Jemma Reekie, Jake Wightman, Seonaid McIntosh and Sally Conway are just a selection of the Scots who will head to Tokyo with a very realistic chance of getting on the podium.

How will Team GB fare at this year’s Olympics? (Covid-permitting)

Team GB will do well, but not as well as they have done in recent Games. London 2012 was an outstanding performance and then it improved in Rio in 2016, winning 67 medals and finishing second in the medal table. I expect GB to drop down the medal table slightly, but will still win an impressive number of medals. 

Should the Olympics go ahead this year and why?

I think the Olympics will go ahead, although whether they should or not is another matter. With the Tokyo budget having risen to over $15 billion, I can't see the Games being cancelled entirely. However, with Japan continuing to be ravaged by the pandemic, there is overwhelming support for the Games to be postponed once again, although I don't think that will happen. I expect the Games to go ahead, but with very small crowds, or perhaps no crowds at all.

Why should Scots sign up for a Herald subscription?

The football coverage is excellent and for any sports fan who has an interest in sports outwith football, The Herald is the only paper to read. We extensively cover sports and athletes who do not receive the attention they deserve in other areas of the media and we showcase all Scottish athletes who are excelling in their sport.

The columnists cover a huge range of topics and there are rarely any stones left unturned when it comes to Scottish sport.