Team Scotland’s flagbearer Euan Burton bowed out from the sport in style when he became Commonwealth Champion of the -100kg category, in his home country in front of adoring fans.

As he retires from the world stage, and professional judo as a player, the Olympian and multiple world medallist leaves an incredible legacy for young men aspiring to take up his sport as he becomes a coach.

All eyes were on the -100kg category where Burton was aiming to overcome the disappointment he suffered at London 2012 and win gold on home soil in his final competitive tournament. His wife Gemma Gibbons won silver at the Olympics and added another of the same colour at the Commonwealth Games just minutes before him on the mat. This time Burton had the gold in his sight, which he won unfalteringly.

Having previously competed at -81kg, he stepped up to the heavier weight and started in style, quickly throwing Evans Kengara of Kenya for ippon. His second contest was a much tighter affair against Cameroon’s Dominic Dugasse but a throw late in the contest, transitioning to a hold down was enough to book a semi-final place. Three-time Oceanic Champion Jason Koster stood between Burton and the final. The Scot came agonisingly close to a victory via hold down before quickly finishing the job by forcing the Kiwi to submit with some great groundwork. In the final he faced Shah Hussain Shah of Pakistan, an Asian games quarter-finalist, and got the better of him with a throw for waza-ari before applying an armlock and forcing Shah to submit.

Talking after his win Euan Burton said: “Not too shabby for a 35-year-old. It’s been a nervous day all-round. The excitement was building all the way up to the tournament and it was great. This doesn’t make up for London but it is a fantastic tournament and I am proud that I have done this for Judo Scotland and for all the guys fighting, many of whom I coach at Ratho.

“This is me now done and dusted. I will never fight on the world stage again.”

However, he insisted: “This doesn’t make up for London but it is a fantastic tournament. I am proud to win a gold medal for Scotland, Judo Scotland and proud of all the guys fighting today.

Having won multiple European and World Championship medals and titles at World Cups and Grand Slams across the globe he says he could not have imagined a more fantastic end to his competitive career than leading his nation out, carrying the saltire, in front of a home crowd and going on to deliver the Commonwealth Gold at a packed and passionate Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

“With my retirement as a competing judoka, what excites me most is that I can now be instrumental in creating an environment for athletes that allows them to perform consistently at the highest levels. I know, through work I have done with other sports organisations and businesses, that this is not a cultural focus which is exclusive to judo but is transferable regardless of sport. I am eager to continue to develop my involvement with other sports bodies and with business. However in the immediate future I am delighted to be directing my attention towards the elite athletes within the judo community.

“In addition to my personal experience in Glasgow I am enormously proud of the athletes from Team Scotland and Team England who I was involved in coaching, who all went on to gain medals.

“I am looking forward to helping those athletes, and many more, achieve their potential on the world stage in my role as a High Performance Coach for the SportScotland Institute of Sport. It is an exciting time for Scottish and British sport and with the 2016 Rio Olympic Games on the immediate horizon and the 2020 Tokyo Games returning Olympic judo to its homeland I am delighted to be involved in preparing the champions of the future.

‘’If I could fight forever, perhaps I would. However, the hair is getting greyer, the muscles sorer and it is now time to leave the winning of medals to those younger and stronger than myself.

‘’I hope I will get time to individually thank all of those who have helped and supported me throughout my career personally. For now can I just say to my coaches, training partners, competitors, sponsors, friends and most importantly my family; thank you so very much. I look forward to my continued involvement in sport after retirement from competition with great anticipation and enormous enthusiasm.

“Hopefully the Commonwealths will get more kids through the door wanting to be the next Renicks sisters or the next Sarah Clark, some might even want to be the next Euan Burton.”

Words by Donna Richardson.

Photo by Mike Varey.