SCOTLAND’S First Minister has hailed Glasgow 2018 home crowds as the “perfect hosts”.

People from across the city have joined visitors from the rest of Scotland and beyond to watch the inaugural European Championships over the last eight days.

Nicola Sturgeon and Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken thanked the tens of thousands of spectators who have watched events.

Ms Sturgeon said: “Our supporters have yet again shown themselves to be perfect hosts and I want to thank them for the warm welcome athletes and teams from throughout Europe have received.”

Ms Aitken added: “The atmosphere in Glasgow during the championships has been tremendous and the welcome that people all over the city have given to athletes and visitors alike has been typically friendly and enthusiastic.

“Although it comes as absolutely no surprise, I couldn’t be more proud of the way the city has embraced our friends and neighbours from across Europe.”

The comments come as Team Great Britain had one of its most successful days in the games yesterday, bringing home 10 medals.

Diver Jack Laugher received his second gold of the games for the 3m springboard competition, swimmer Ben Proud came first in the 50m freestyle and teammates Adam Peaty, Nicholas Pyle, James Guy and Duncan Scott worked together to nab the top prize in the men’s 4x100m medley relay.

Jess Learmonth got silver in the women’s triathlon, Matthew Dixon and Noah Williams came second in the synchronised 10m diving while swimmers Max Litchfield and Imogen Clark also gained silver in the 400m individual medley and the 50m breaststroke respectively.

It was bronze for swimmers James Guy, Holly Hibbott and team Georgia Davies, Siobhan-Marie O’Connor, Alys Thomas, Freya Anderson who came third in the 100m butterfly, 400m freestyle, and 4x100m medley relay respectively.

As the athletes continue to shine on the global stage, their success has prompted sportscotland to confirm the first recipients of a £500,000 legacy fund aimed at getting communities across the country more active.

More than 90 projects will share around £250,000 as part of GO LIVE! GET ACTIVE, a programme designed to support Community Sport Hubs (CSHs) deliver a sporting legacy from the first ever multi-sport European Championships.

The Scottish Government funding, which is being invested by sportscotland, is supporting CSHs that establish new sport or physical activity sessions to target those most inactive in communities. It is also being used to fund projects that use sport and physical activity to improve health, wellbeing and social cohesion.

Minister for sport, Joe FitzPatrick, marked the funding awards by visiting Whitacres Community Sport Hub in Glasgow, which will receive £4,590 to deliver a series of new boxing sessions for 16 to 25-year-old women and men over the age of 40.

He said: “This £500,000 investment will build on the enthusiasm generated by Glasgow 2018, making a lasting difference in communities throughout the country, with a positive impact on the health of individuals while boosting community cohesion.

“Whitacres Community Sport Hub is a perfect example of this. In particular, I’ve been impressed by their boxing programme, which has achieved great success with women and older people.”

Meanwhile, the games are also encouraging the city to take interest in an entirely new sport – golf.

As the only new event in the programme at Glasgow 2018, the historic event at Gleneagles is proving popular with fans, and those who can’t make it along in person are gathering in George Square and Glasgow Green to watch the action unfold.

Legendary Open champion Paul Lawrie will visit the championships today, to offer some tips to fans will taking part in a host of fun-filled golfing challenges in the spectator village.

He said: “The European Golf Team Championships are a hugely innovative and exciting format, especially as they are providing a historic moment for equality in sport with men and women competing together in the Mixed Team event on Saturday.

“Golf events provide a terrific day out for the family with something to keep everyone interested. I hope that people will be inspired by watching some great players perform on the course before having the opportunity to try it for themselves in the spectator village.”

Newly-crowned British Open Champion Georgia Hall and 2019 Solheim Cup Team Europe captain Catriona Matthew will also be popping by the course this weekend.

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

Cycling BMX at Glasgow BMX Centre – Qualifiers 11.45am – 1.45pm 

The new Knightswood BMX track, which was purpose built for the games, will finally get its highly anticipated debut today. The qualifiers will put Europe’s finest cyclists through their paces ahead of the finals on Sunday, with a total of 16 heats for the male athletes and a further five for the women.  

Triathlon at Strathclyde Country Park – Finals 3.45pm – 6.45pm 

Marc Austin, Alistair Brownlee, pictured, and Barclay Izzard will fly the flag for Team GB at the triathlon finals competing against a further 53 athletes. Expectations of the trio are high with Jess Learmonth bringing home the silver in the women’s competition yesterday. While the mixed triathlon finals will take place tomorrow.  

Diving at Royal Commonwealth Pool - Finals 9.30am - 3pm 

Jack Laugher will return to the pool alongside Christopher Mearns in a bid to bring home the gold in the synchronised 3m springboard men’s final. If they succeed, it will mark Laugher’s third gold of the games having already nabbed the top spot in the 1m and 3m competition’s earlier this week. The women’s 1m springboard final will take place later in the afternoon. 

Orbital at George Square from 6pm 

The electronic music giants will hit the stage for one of the few ticketed events of Festival 2018. Promising a night of fun and dancing, with the help of supporters Plaid. Tickets cost £25 and are expected to sell out quickly. To book, visit glasgow2018.com/festival.

The Exploded Circus at Glasgow Green from 5pm 

In the first of five shows to take place at the park over the weekend, production company Mimbre bring the tale of a big top caught midair to life. With acrobatics, aerial feats and masterful juggling, it’s expected to be a fun experience for the all the family. The cast will also perform at noon and 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

DAY NINE: TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT NEWS

WITH just three medal events taking place across the city today, transport should be as close to normal as we’ve seen it since the games began last week. 

The biggest source of transport disruption will come from the BMX cycling qualifier event in Knightswood park. 

Roads surrounding the area, including Great Western Road and Lincoln Avenue, are expected to be much busier than normal throughout the day, while parking restrictions are also in place.

Scotstounhill railway station is also expected to experience more congestion than normal, particularly between 10am and 2pm as hundreds make their way to and from the BMX event. 

Bus services through Glasgow City Centre and near to Glasgow Green are set to be busy, especially into the evening, as city residents celebrate the end of another day of sport with Festival 2018. 

Looking ahead to the weekend, Saturday is expected to be fairly quiet with much of the roads and public transport understood to be carrying on as normal.

It will be slightly busier around Knightswood and Loch Lomond as BMX and open water swimming events get underway.

However, Sunday marks the return of the road cycling events through the city centre.

Dozens of roads are expected to close with bus services diverted throughout Glasgow and surrounding areas.

Advice is to leave the car at home and use public transport where possible.

For more information and live updates on the day visit getreadyglasgow.com.