MacKay eyes improvement in degrees as she targets next Games

It has been quite the summer for weightlifter Alex MacKay.

In between training for her first Commonwealth Games, she graduated with a medical degree from Dundee University.

You would forgive her for not, in her own words, performing at her best, as the 23-year-old finished seventh in the women's weightlifting 49kg category.

But she relished her Commonwealth Games debut - and is keen for more.

"I'm really happy with that performance," she said. "It's not quite personal best for me, but the atmosphere from the crowd, it was incredible. I had so much fun and I am very proud of myself for that.

"I'm hoping this is my first Games of many. Definitely looking for India 2030. Hopefully a few other target comps along the way."

MacKay will have to fit her training and competing around her medical career, which starts this week at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Newcastle, but she seems determined to do just that.

"I think my biggest lesson, even from the whole build up, is it just won't be straightforward all the time," she said. "Sometimes you're going to have so many challenges that make it not as you had planned in your head.

"I'm always very organised. I like things to be how I like it. So this has been far from easy for me to be here and just have such a good time."

MacKay was involved in a special final, with India's Saikhom Mirabai Chanu winning the gold while posting two Commonwealth records.

"Honestly, some of the other girls in my group are incredible," the Scot added. "I really do aspire to lift the weights that they do. I'm obviously a little bit more down in the group, not really in medal contention this year, but I'm hoping for the next Games that that would be something I've got my eye on."