Young athletes from across Edinburgh were among the biggest contingent at last weekend’s SprintFastest All-Star Indoor Championships, with 25 athletes representing the City of Edinburgh Council area.
The Edinburgh contingent, drawn mainly from Edinburgh AC and Harmeny AC, included rising sprint talents Aoiffion McVittie-Brangan and Reeva Grant, who joined more than 180 young athletes from across Scotland at the Glasgow International Arena.
Funded through a £20 million Scottish Government investment and supported by sportscotland as part of the national Summer of Sport 2026 initiative, the event followed the inaugural SprintFastest, which was held at Grangemouth Stadium in March.
Thanks to summer of sport funding, the indoor championships were bigger and better attracting more than 180 young athletes from across the country.
SprintFastest is recognised for its commitment to accessibility, inclusivity, and strengthening pathways into athletics for young people across the country and to provide a platform for Scotland’s rising sprint stars.
Founder of SprintFastest, Dr Enoch Adeyemi, set out to create an accessible youth athletics event to bring families and young people together. He said: “At SprintFastest, we believe every young person deserves the chance to shine.
“This event is about much more than racing. It’s about creating opportunities, building confidence and showing young people what they can achieve when they are given the right platform.
“Thanks to sportscotland’s Summer of Sport funding, we’ve been able to bring together some of Scotland’s most talented young athletes while making the experience accessible, welcoming and inspiring for families from across the country.”
The talented field included boys and girls across five age categories, drawn from 24 local authority areas of Scotland.
Minister for Community Care Alison Thewliss MSP and sportscotland Chair Maureen Campbell attended the event to see first-hand how the young people were benefiting from Summer of Sport investment.
Ms Thewliss MSP, Minister for Community Care said: “The Summer of Sport programme has been a fantastic way to help more children and young people across Scotland discover the joy of being active, while removing some of the barriers that can prevent them from taking part.
“SprintFastest is a brilliant example of this in action, bringing young people together through an exciting and accessible athletics experience. It’s exactly the kind of opportunity we want to see more of, giving young people the chance to try something new, build confidence and hopefully discover a sport they can enjoy for years to come.”
Game On: Creating opportunities for children and young people across Scotland
Since launching in May 2026, the Summer of sport programme has supported local authorities, schools, clubs and sporting bodies to create free and low-cost opportunities for children and young people aged between three to 26 to take part in sport and physical activity.
The campaign, backed by Scottish government investment, as part of a £20 million fund has been administered by sportscotland and was inspired by the landmark summer of international sport, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
A wide range of sporting organisations received funding through a competitive application process to sportscotland, including football, cycling, cricket, golf, padel, archery and judo.
Maureen Campbell, Chair of sportscotland, added: “The Summer of Sport programme has shown what can be achieved when we work together to make sport and physical activity more accessible, inclusive and enjoyable for young people across Scotland.
“The response so far has been hugely encouraging, with young people telling us that the programme has helped them become more active and inspired them to do more sport. SprintFastest is a great example of that ambition in action, creating an exciting opportunity for young people to experience athletics, have fun and be inspired by what they can achieve. We’re proud to be supporting opportunities like this as Summer of Sport events continue into the new year.”
Inspiring a new generation to get active and try sport
Interim survey data conducted by sportscotland shows the Summer of Sport is already making a lasting impact, with 75% of children and young people surveyed saying they had become more active as a result of taking part, while 79% said it had made them want to do more sport.
One in four (25%) had already taken up a new sport and one in five (20%) had joined a new club, highlighting the programme’s ability to turn new experiences into continued participation.
The programme is also helping break down barriers to participation, with 28% of young people trying their chosen activity for the first time. Low-cost and local opportunities have been key, with 73% of parents and carers saying being local or easy to reach helped their child participate, while 63% highlighted free access. The experiences have been rated highly, with children and young people giving activities an average score of 4.7 out of 5.
Activities will take place beyond the summer, supporting increased opportunities and participation.
To find out more about the 2026 Summer of Sport, visit: sportscotland.org.uk/2026
PICTURES: Peter Devlin
