McGrath delighted after claiming first global medal in Tokyo

By Paul Eddison in Tokyo

In an alternate universe, Paul McGrath might have been winning a World Athletics Championships bronze medal for Great Britain & Northern Ireland.

While his name evokes memories of the legendary Irish footballer, racewalker McGrath is born and bred in Spain but is the son of keen football fan James, who hails from Glasgow.

James passed his love of Celtic down to his son, but when the decision came over whether to live in Glasgow or Barcelona, it was an easy call.

And having grown up in the Catalan city, McGrath has emerged as a supremely talented racewalker, winning the first global medal of his career as he took bronze in Tokyo in the men’s 20km walk.

He said: “I’m so pleased, super happy to get my first global medal. I want to thank my family and friends and also my coach because this is not only mine but also my team. So I’m super pleased.”

Switching comfortably between languages to do three different interviews, Castilian Spanish, Catalan and then finally English, there is not much of a Glaswegian twang to the latter.

But he has strong ties to the country, with plenty of family still in Scotland, as well as in Ireland the home of his grandparents.

He explained: “My father and my mum met in Glasgow. My mum is from Spain and she told my dad to come to Spain if you want to have a family.

“If you compare Barcelona to Glasgow, it was quite an easy thought! He’s been there since 1992 or 1993, so over 30 years in Barcelona.

“All my family in Ireland and Scotland have been following my races. My dad has quite a big family so there are lots of cousins and uncles. I was in Scotland two months ago for a wedding.

“That was quite a cool moment, and I go every year, or every two or three years now to visit my family.”

Representing Spain, McGrath will not be able to compete in his dad’s home city at next year’s Commonwealth Games.

He had been in the stands 11 years ago when the Games last went to Glasgow, inspired by a first-hand view of Usain Bolt on his only Commonwealth appearance at Hampden Park, albeit in the most diametrically opposed event possible.

Still, McGrath’s family will not have to go too far to see the 23-year-old in person – as opposed to on TV in the middle of the night – in 2026.

He added: “There is a European Championships in Birmingham so all my Scottish and Irish family will be able to come because it’s maybe just a one-hour flight. That will be amazing to have my family see me racewalking for the first time.

“A lot of my family were super excited, watching a family member on TV is really cool. I’m sure they were watching the race.”

Follow all the action from the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 on BBC.