Royal Marine aiming to replicate Commonwealth Games glory

Royal Marine Corporal Chris Sherrington will be representing Team Scotland at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and he's hoping to repeat history.

In the 2014 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, Corporal Sherrington won a gold medal in the judo competition.

He also came close to a medal at the 2012 Olympic Games and he's hoping Birmingham will be the location of his next big success despite recent troubles with his preparation.

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"It's not been ideal," he said. "I tried to make the Toyko Olympics and broke both of my ACLs (anterior cruciate ligaments). I waited and got an operation done.

"I literally got signed off as fully fit in January."

Cpl Sherrington, now competing at the age of 38, has been keen to show his military connections through his sporting career and has had to work around organisers' objections.

He explained: "Originally, I started putting my beret on while on the podium and they banned for me that.

"I started sewing my commando flashes on my judo suit and they banned me for that.

"They actually searched me at Glasgow (2014 Commonwealth Games). I'm literally about to go on the podium and they come up to me and say 'Chris, you don't have your beret on you, do you?'

"I'd wrapped it in plastic and slipped it in between my judo suit and my back where my belt goes.

"It sat very flat and very flush so when they actually searched me, they missed it."

Cover image: Chris Sherrington posing with the Scottish flag ahead of the Birmingham Games (Picture: Jeff Holmes for Team Scotland).