Laura Muir named Scottish Athlete of the Year

Laura Muir is pictured with guest of honour Steve Cram. Picture: Bobby Gavin

And the Scottish 1500m national record holder’s mentor, Andy Young, made it a double for the partnership as he was named Scotland’s Performance Coach of the Year.

Muir beat off the challenge of fellow nominees Eilidh Child, Lynsey Sharp and Robbie Simpson to win the accolade from the sport’s governing body at their annual awards dinner in Glasgow on Saturday night.

Child and Sharp had monopolised the award for the past six years.

It reflected a superb 2015 for Muir which featured finishing fifth in the World Championships final in Beijing; becoming the first Scottish woman to break four minutes as she trimmed her own national record to 3.58.66; winning the British  1500m title and a memorable Diamond League race win in Oslo.

The Dundee Hawkhill Harriers and Glasgow University athlete also set PBs at 800m and 3000m over the outdoor season and, early in the year, was fourth in the 3000m final at the European Indoors in Prague.

“I am thrilled and delighted to be named Scottish Athlete of the Year,” said Muir.

“There was terrific competition for this title and not just from those on the short-list – there have been so many good performances by Scottish athletes this past year.

‘And I am delighted for my coach, Andy Young, to receive the top coaching award as well.”

European U20 champion at 1500m, Josh Kerr, took the Scottish Athlete of the Year title at U20 with double Commonwealth Youth Games medallist, sprinter Alisha Rees, winning the U17 accolade.

Ultra runner Joasia Zakrzewski, who represented Scotland in the marathon at Glasgow 2014, won the Masters Athlete of the Year award.