Athlete Stories: Angela Bridgeman Baxter

Brisbane 1982: Athletics

Angela was one of the first students to receive a sports bursary at the University of Stirling in 1981.

Angela Bridgeman Baxter was a sprinter who was born in London, and brought to Glasgow as a four month old baby by her Trinidad-born parents. Bridgeman Baxter went on to represent Scotland in the 1982 Commonwealth Games at Brisbane, winning a bronze medal in the 4 x 400m event. Angela competed for Scotland in two Commonwealth Games and ranked in the top 10 in every event she competed in between 1980 and 1993, leading the 200 metres rankings in 1981 and 1989, the 100 in 1982 and the 400 in 1983.

She was a member of Glasgow Athletic Club and in 1981 won several Scottish championships and was awarded Glasgow’s Sportsperson of the Year. Her coach was Iain Robertson (Rab) and Bridgeman Baxter recalled his meticulous preparations ahead of the Commonwealth Games: “He travelled to Brisbane in 1982 to support the Scottish team and myself and Sandra Whittaker who were competing. He arranged for us to run around Celtic Park before a big game so we could get used to big crowds before going to Brisbane! He thought of it all.”

Angela was also one the first recipients of a Sports Scholarship at the University of Stirling in September 1981. The new scheme allowed athletes to continue to train and compete at a high-level while engaged in academic study.

Scotland team photograph for 1982 Commonwealth Games.

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