Neil MacDonald's path to the Commonwealth Games began with childhood scraps with his brother that led their mother to sign them up for judo. Now the 29-year-old Glasgow fighter has earned selection for Team Scotland and is preparing to compete on home soil at Glasgow 2026.
The 29-year-old, who competes in the -66kg category, is among the 13-strong judo squad selected to represent Team Scotland at the upcoming Games in Glasgow.
Neil MacDonald only started judo after one too many fights with his brother, but it has taken him all the way to the Commonwealth Games. His journey began 25 years ago, when MacDonald's mother was fed up with her sons fighting and signed them up for judo.
"I remember one summer holiday, me and my brother were just running riot in the street, bored and constantly fighting each other," said MacDonald. "So, my mum took us to a judo class. I was about four years old and my brother was about five. From then on, I just kept going. I don't think I expected this because at first it was a bit of fun."
MacDonald grew up in Glasgow and expects lots of family and friends to be watching on in the crowd at the SEC Centre. For those tuning in who might be new to the sport, he has some top tips: "If you're going to come to judo and watch it for the first time, read up on the rules because it can be quite confusing. The best thing to do is search where your local club is and pay them a visit."
The half-lightweight has enjoyed an extremely successful career so far, winning gold at the African Open Port Louis in September 2025 as well as a recent bronze at the Sarajevo Senior European Cup in May. In 2017, he reached the Junior World Number One ranking in the -60kg weight category. When he received the Glasgow 2026 call-up, MacDonald was excited but not surprised: "I was really happy. I think I kind of knew because I got the most medals in the selection period, so it was more relief when I got the call."
For judo hopefuls who aspire to follow in his footsteps, MacDonald highlights the importance of consistently showing up: "Just stick at it. I think with every sport, the main thing is turning up to training and to keep on turning up, even when you're tired and sore. You just need to constantly turn up and do what you can. Judo has made me a lot more confident and as it's a combat sport, you don't feel like you have to go and fight."
The Glasgow local owns his own tracking company, which he balances with his judo career. But for MacDonald, judo always comes first: "It's pretty flexible. I'll just be training in the morning, going to work for a while, and then going to the gym or doing another session at night. I put judo first, before my work." Now, in front of his home crowd, MacDonald is hoping his hard work pays off: "My main goal is to win it. And then medals I'll be happy with."
