Olympics: Chris Paterson heaps praise on Lynsey Sharp

Former Scotland rugby hero Chris Paterson has saluted Lynsey Sharp’s commitment and dedication – with the young Scot awaiting the imminent London 2012 team announcement with bated breath.

The Edinburgh AC athlete has proved herself the woman in form in British 800 metres running over the past ten days or so with a remarkable medal double.

Sharp won the UK title in dramatic fashion at the Olympic Trials in Birmingham and followed that up on Friday night with an excellent silver in the European Championships. And, even though she has not achieved the A standard demanded by AVIVA Team GB and NI, Sharp has beaten all her rankings rivals along the way, with the likes of Jenny Meadows having failed to prove her fitness.

Charles van Commenee will name the British squad for London today and ex-Scotland star Paterson has nothing but admiration for the 21-year-old, who, coincidentally, was once his neighbour in Edinburgh.

“I used to live next door to Lynsey and her commitment to training was great – even as a youngster at school,” Paterson told BBC Scotland. “At the time she was training in Dundee and travelling to and from Edinburgh to do that two or three times a week. That was a huge commitment when she was still at school.

“Lynsey has been trying to combine her studies at university with the demands of training and competing so it is a lot to ask. You are asking her to be a professional in a sense as an athlete while also studying for a law degree [at Napier University]. I’ve huge respect for our top Scottish athletes.”

Eilidh Child, Eilish McColgan and Lee McConnell seem set to be named for the Olympics, with the hopes and dreams of Sharp and hammer thrower Mark Dry hanging in the balance. Steph Twell’s fitness is a worry even though she has an A standard in the 5000m from this season.