Glorious year earns Duncan Scott top Scottish sport award

Duncan Scott with his award at the ceremony in Edinburgh. Picture: Jeff Holmes

Scotland’s most successful athlete ever at a single Commonwealth Games, with six medals in this year’s Gold Coast event, Scott also won four medals at the European Championships in Glasgow.

Not surprisingly, Scott was also named Male Athlete of the Year for the second year in succession during last night’s event at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

Scott’s success came on a superb night overall for the University of Stirling swimming programme, with his coach Steven Tigg taking the Coach of the Year award. Tigg also coached England’s Aimee Wilmott to Commonwealth Games gold, while Craig MacLean and Scott McLay swam the heats for Scotland’s bronze medal-winning 4x100m freestyle relay.

Laura Muir’s magical season, which saw her claim three global medals and win the overall Diamond League crown over 1500m, while completing her veterinary degree, earned her the Female Athlete of the Year award. She topped a shortlist which included diver Grace Reid and cyclist Katie Archibald, who both achieved the Commonwealth and European Championships gold medal double.

Scottish Cycling had a very successful night, being named Governing Body of the Year, while Neil Fachie, with pilot Matt Rotherham, was named Para-Sport Athlete of the Year after winning two gold medals at the World Para-Cycling Championships and repeating the same double at the Commonwealth Games.

Para-Cycling was also in the spotlight as 2012 Paralympic gold medallist David Smith MBE took the Team Scot of the Year award. His fight to compete at the top level, despite a recurring spinal-cord tumor and residual paralysis following surgery, has been an inspiration to many.

The national men’s cricket and rugby teams were popular winners of Sporting Moment of the Year and Team of the Year respectively. The cricketers’ historic ODI win over England will live long in the memory, while the Calcutta Cup win over England earned the rugby players the top team award.

Scotland’s most successful competitor in Commonwealth Games history, after winning a record fifth gold in Australia, Alex Marshall MBE was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Young Athlete of the Year award went to diver Lucas Thomson, who represented Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games at the age of 16 and went on to win a string of medals throughout the year.

Jim Hay was named Volunteer of the Year for his work in squash, while SAPC Community Sports Hub took Community Hub, Club or School of the Year. There was also a special award for 18-year-old Kamil Cybulski, recognising his outstanding volunteer work, including founding Glasgow Devils Basketball Club.

Paul Bush OBE, Chair of Commonwealth Games Scotland, said: “These awards are a fantastic celebration of what is a golden year for Scottish sport.

“There is also much to look forward to in 2019, with Scotland hosting the European Indoor Athletics Championships and the Solheim Cup.”