Sean McCann, the 21-year-old brother of missing Madeleine McCann, is competing in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, marking his major competition debut. He is set to swim in the 400m freestyle heats on Saturday morning.
His parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, along with his twin sister Amelie, were in the stands to support him and the rest of the Scotland team. This marks a moment where the family could be recognized for a different reason, nearly two decades after Madeleine's abduction from Portugal in 2007.
McCann, who is eligible to represent Scotland through his father, Gerry, born in Glasgow, has pursued a career as an elite distance swimmer. He has trained rigorously, with up to nine two-hour swimming sessions and multiple gym workouts weekly. A former coach described him as "really driven and never one to take the easiest route."
McCann is scheduled to compete in the 800m and 1500m freestyle events later in the week. He previously reached the finals of the 400m and 1500m freestyle at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games and has qualified for the European Open Water Championships representing Great Britain. He is studying chemical engineering at Loughborough University, chosen for its sports facilities.
He described the Commonwealth Games as a "pinnacle" and expressed excitement about representing Scotland, especially at a "home games." McCann noted that having family in Glasgow makes the event even more special. He recalled watching as a child in 2014 and sees this as a "full circle moment."
Sean was two years old and in the same room when his older sister, Madeleine, disappeared from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007. While he may not recall the international attention that followed, both he and Amelie have grown up under the shadow of the mystery surrounding their sister, who would now be 23.