The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games were one of Scotland’s proudest achievements.
But for one woman working behind the scenes, there has been no time to reflect on the event’s amazing success.
As soon as the Games ended in August, logistics expert Heather Neill was straight on a plane to a new job in Azerbaijan to help organise another massive event.
Capital city Baku is staging the first European Games, an Olympic Committee-backed tournament which will bring together some of the biggest sporting names in the world.
The Games, which offer Olympic 2016 ranking points in some events, are a new addition to the sporting calendar.
And to help make it a success, organisers in Baku drafted in 60 staff from Glasgow 2014, including 29-year-old Heather.
She is organising the international broadcast set-up for the Games and said she and the rest of the Scots have been having a ball.
Heather said: "It’s been great to come here right from Glasgow.
"There are so many of us that it’s like having a big gang of us out here who all know each other already and we all get on well.
"We had a big St Andrew’s Ball and ceilidh and there is a great community of Scots working here.”
The European Games, held from June 12 to 28, will feature 20 sports including athletics, swimming, shooting, fencing and judo.
And there will also be some more unusual additions, such as three-on-three basketball, karate, beach soccer and Russian martial art sambo.
While many Scots might not have heard of the Games yet, Heather says they will be worth watching.
At Glasgow 2014, her job was working in liaison with international teams to make sure they had everything they needed.
In Baku, she is doing a similar role for the international broadcasters.
Heather, from Glasgow, said: "The Games are going to be fantastic and everyone here is really excited for it.
"Everyone has been very welcoming and it’s a lovely city.
"It’s bustling and really cosmopolitan and as a woman on her own in the city, I’ve always felt perfectly safe.”
Glasgow 2014 boss David Grevemberg said it reflected well on the Commonwealth Games that so many Scots were recruited.
He added: "I’m delighted that highly-skilled professionals who did so much to make Glasgow 2014 shine are now playing their part in helping the Baku 2015 team create one of the world’s next great sporting stages.
"It promises to be a spectacular event.”
(dailyrecord.co.uk)
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