ATHLETICS fan Rona McIntosh was involved in the volunteer programme at the London Olympics from the start.

She worked as a 'selection event volunteer' in the run-up to the 2012 Games, helping to train those who would be interviewing the Scottish volunteers in Glasgow.

Rona then grabbed the chance to work in the arena in London as an athlete chaperone - the first point of contact for competitors after they finished their event. She was responsible for guiding them through to the media zone, the medal ceremony or for doping tests.

She went through all the training on the 2012 volunteer programme and gathered as much information as she could to bring back to Glasgow ahead of 2014.

Rona, 29, from the West End, said: "I gained lots of new skills during my time in London, especially working with a very varied team with different levels of experience and expertise.

"Specifically for my role here in Glasgow I have just gained fantastic amounts of information, knowledge and experience about what works and what doesn't.

"This can help ensure the volunteering programme here is the best it possibly can be, from the training perspective right the way through to the experience for volunteers at Games time.

"So, living and breathing it was invaluable to ensure it is as good as it possibly can be for our 2014 volunteers."

Before working for Glasgow 2014, Rona was the student sport development manager at St Andrews University.

She was seconded to the Commonwealth Games team in September 2010 to manage the 'Lead 2014' programme, which aims to engage children from four years old to students, with the Games.

In January 2011 she started full-time as volunteer co-ordinator at Commonwealth House and was determined to absorb all she could from London to bring home to help give Glasgow's volunteers.

She managed the Front Runner programme to recruit 400 volunteers to work in the run-up to the Games and now she is working with them to interview and train the 15,000 volunteers who will fill key roles during the Games.

Those roles will include working at transport help desks, dressing up as the mascot, directing the vast crowds attending events, and helping to hand out uniforms to staff and volunteers.

One of the highlights of Rona's London 2012 experience was meeting the athletes on what became known as Super Saturday.

She said: "To share the moment when the athletes had won their Olympic gold is something I will remember for the rest of my life.

"They were all so friendly, so nice.

"One of the most excitable was Greg Rutherford, who won the long jump on Super Saturday. He had not been expected to win and was ecstatic - he gave one of my friends the sweatband that he had used.

"Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce gave me her training jersey, so the athletes were just ecstatic and sharing that moment was unbelievable.

"I went for a jog with Jessica Ennis to find one of the rooms she needed to visit after she had won her Olympic gold.

"It was just a very surreal experience because at that point after the event they had not even met their coaches, they hadn't met anybody. Their friends and family were not allowed to come to these restricted areas, so I was the first point of contact with the athletes after they came off the first part of the media mixed area and the field of play.

"The team we were based with were fantastic. It was the best 10 days or my life."

Rona said high-fiving Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt was also one of her highlights.

"Every time he came off from his heats, his semi- final or his final he would put an arm round me or he would say something, he was very charismatic," she said.

Although recruits will have to provide their own transport and accommodation for the training sessions prior to the 2014 Games, during the competition days they will have free transport around Glasgow, as well as access to meals and snacks at all the venues.

They will be working around eight to 12 hours per day and will also have to pick up their uniforms and accreditation in advance.

All 15,000 will be given three training sessions and those selected as team leaders will get an extra course as well.

Rona believes Glasgow 2014 is a great opportunity for people to be part of something special.

She said: "It is going to be fantastic for the city. It is going to be the best opportunity in my lifetime to get involved with the biggest sporting and cultural event in Scotland.

"I urge anyone that is enthusiastic about volunteering, sport, culture and Scotland to get involved. Get off the sofa and be part of the Games!"

Although one third of volunteers will be required to take on specialist roles and will need qualifications, the vast majority will be doing general roles for which training will be provided.

And Rona is certain each volunteer will get as much out of the Glasgow 2014 experience as she got from London 2012.

She said: "This is our chance to be part of a team who will be making history every single day.

"I can't recommend it highly enough - the friends they will make, the skills they will gain, the experience they will have.

"Volunteers will see Glasgow in a completely different way to what they have seen it before. I would urge anybody that is even considering it to get that application in and get involved."

matty.sutton@ eveningtimes.co.uk

Rona McIntosh 'high-fived' Usain Bolt and jogged with Jessica Ennis at the London Olympics. Now she is helping lead the way for the volunteer programme for Glasgow 2014. On the fifth day of our series on the Commonwealth Games volunteers, MATTY SUTTON speaks to 2014's Volunteer Co-ordinator for Recruitment and Selection