By GB News (World News) | Created at 2026-07-21 10:20:58 | Updated at 2026-08-05 17:55:07
2 weeks ago
Madeleine McCann's younger brother Sean has been selected to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games, marking a major milestone in his bid to reach the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The 21-year-old swimmer has earned a place in Scotland's squad for the rescheduled Games in Glasgow, where he will compete alongside some of the nation's biggest stars, including eight-time Olympic medallist Duncan Scott.
Sean, who specialises in freestyle events, is regarded as one of Scotland's promising distance swimmers and hopes a strong showing in Glasgow will move him a step closer to achieving his long-term ambition of representing Team GB at the Olympics.
His selection comes nearly two decades after the disappearance of his older sister Madeleine, who vanished aged three while on a family holiday in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3, 2007.
The case became one of the world's most high-profile missing person investigations and continues to attract global attention.
Sean was just two years old when Madeleine disappeared.
His twin sister, Amelie McCann, has also been selected in Scotland's squad for the Commonwealth Games.
Madeleine McCann's younger brother Sean has been selected to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games, marking a major milestone in his bid to reach the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles
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The siblings are set to compete during the 11-day event at Glasgow's Tollcross International Swimming Centre, with Sean expected to race in freestyle disciplines.
The Leicester-born athlete combines elite-level swimming with studying chemical engineering at Loughborough University.
His international experience already includes representing Scotland at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago, where he competed in the 400m and 1,500m freestyle events.
Sean has also represented Great Britain in open-water competition, taking part in the European Junior Open Water Championships in Corfu in 2023, where he competed over longer distances that have become his speciality.
Whether parents Kate and Gerry McCann will attend the Games to watch their son compete has not been publicly confirmed.
Despite now competing at an elite level, Sean has previously admitted he was far from enthusiastic when he first started swimming.
Speaking about his introduction to the sport, he recalled: "I hated it at first, didn't want to go, but then after a while, it grew on me and I am still here now."
Writing previously for the Joe Humphries Memorial Trust, Sean explained how his sporting journey began with triathlon before swimming became his main focus.
"I started competitive sport when I was eight, joining Charnwood Triathlon Club," he wrote.
Sean McCann is regarded as one of Scotland's promising distance swimmers
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"It was here that I discovered my passion for swimming and I joined Loughborough Town Swimming Club to increase the number of swim sessions I did per week."
His rapid progress saw him join the City of Leicester programme at the age of 10 before winning county, regional and national honours in his age group.
Sean also revealed the commitment required to reach the top level, describing years of early mornings and demanding training schedules.
"In order to have achieved this, I have had to remain extremely dedicated, getting up at 4am multiple mornings each week to train, since the age of 11," he wrote.
"I train nine times a week in the pool, as well as three gym sessions, totalling over 20 hours of training per week.
"I'm aiming to compete at the 2026 Commonwealth Games and also the 2028 Olympics in LA."
