Laura Muir wins Scottish Athlete of the Year as fellow Tokyo medallist Owen Miller scoops Para award

Laura Muir is still coming to terms with her Olympic medal success more than two months on from Tokyo – but insists it helps fuel her future ambitions.

Laura Muir and Owen Miller with their awards from Scottish Athletics. Pic: Bobby Gavin

The 1500m silver medallist was named 4J Studios Scottish Athlete of the Year for 2021 at the 4J Annual Awards on Saturday night in Glasgow.

Scottish Athletics made it a 1500m double with Paralympic T20 champion, Owen Miler, the recipient of the 4J Studios Para Athlete of the Year award.

It ensured Muir and Miller were on the same podium some 15 years after they shared success on the Highland Games circuit while both representing the same club, Dunfermline West Fife (now defunct).

Guest of Honour Jo Pavey, the five-time Olympian, made the presentations on a night which celebrated and recognised athletes, coaches, clubs, volunteers and officials.

“We’re more than two months on from Tokyo but it still feels very odd,” said Muir, whose coach Andy Young won Performance Coach of the Year.

“When you work so hard for something for so long and then you finally achieve it there is a sense at times that it is not real. I look at the medal sometimes and it is very strange.

“But it is great to have enjoyed that podium success and come away with a medal at the biggest global championships. There’s great satisfaction.

“On Saturday morning we were out as a group doing cross country reps again, as we do at this time of the year, and so the hard work has already started for 2022. That taste of success at the Olympics whets the appetite again, so to speak.

“I’d won the outdoor European title (in 2018) but not had a medal on the global stage outdoors. That’s changed now thanks to the Olympics and we have the World Champs coming up next year and I’d love to win another medal there.

“And then we have Team Scotland competing at the Commonwealths in Birmingham and that will be really special. I’ve not been at the Commownealths since 2014 and we don’t represent Scotland very often so I’m very excited about Birmingham 2022.”

Muir headed the short-list of fellow Olympic medallist Josh Kerr as well as training partner Jemma Reekie and Eilish McColgan. Miller emerged from a Para short-list that featured Kayleigh Haggo, Sammi Kinghorn and Maria Lyle.

“I’m thrilled to win this award as Para athletics in Scotland is very strong,” said Miller.

“It’s all down to hard work and a lot of help from everyone in my training group. It was great to be on the stage with Laura gain and it brings back memories of events when we were both very young – like Highland Games meetings in Fife. I always watch her races and she is an inspiration.”

Full athlete awards: Athlete of the Year - Laura Muir, Dundee Hawkhill Harriers; Para Athlete of the Year - Owen Miller, Fife AC; MAS Athlete - Stefanie Reid, Charnwood AC; U20 Athlete of the Year - Kane Elliott, Falkirk Victoria Harriers; U17 Athlete of the Year - Katie Johnson, Edinburgh AC; Eddie Campbell Award (Hill Running) - Isla Hedley, Fife AC; Dallas Trust Award - Josh Kerr.

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