With the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic meaning that life is very different for all of us, Team Scotland has today launched Team Scotland Stars, a monthly award to recognise those going above and beyond to help others through these difficult times.
Each month we’re asking for your nominations to help us celebrate the amazing contribution that Scottish sport is making to keeping spirits high, raising funds, helping local communities and encouraging us to be active. The sporting action might be on hold but the sporting community is still going strong.
Launching the awards initiative, Commonwealth Games Scotland Chief Executive, Jon Doig OBE said: “Scottish sport relies on countless hours from many different people who work incredibly hard to inspire and benefit others. While sport looks very different for all of us right now, that spirit of generosity is, if anything, even stronger with individuals raising huge sums for charity, groups and clubs helping the most vulnerable in their communities, and governing bodies, athletes and coaches working tirelessly to keep the nation active and communities engaged. We want to celebrate that spirit and we’re looking for your help to find, recognise and thank these stars.”
Who can I nominate?
Any Scottish individual, group or organisation with a connection to sport and/or using sport or physical activity to help others. If you know someone who has raised money through a physical challenge, someone with a sporting connection now working on the front line, a club with a great idea to support their community or anyone going above and beyond to make a difference for others, please let us know.
How will the winners be decided?
Each month we will share as many of these stories as we can on Team Scotland’s social media channels and the top entries in each category will be shortlisted as finalists by an expert judging panel. The shortlist will then go to public vote and the winners will be recognised with a digital award.
When it becomes possible for groups of people to come together, we look forward to welcoming all our winners to a Team Scotland event where they can be presented with a physical prize and receive the recognition they deserve.
Help us find the people making a real difference in these challenging times! Click here to nominate your choice for a Team Scotland Stars Award!
Other Ways to Help
The Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards has been the primary fundraising event in support of the Team Scotland Youth Trust, assisting the next generation of athletes realise their sporting ambitions and build life skills. Many are currently working to support their local communities at this time, while continuing to train in the absence of their usual facilities and face to face coaching support. As we look ahead to when sport returns they will need your help more than ever as they strive for selection and medal success.
With the Awards cancelled, this year, if you can, please think about supporting a future star with a donation to the Team Scotland Youth Trust.
Charity no: SC006246
The pride of Dundee, boxer Dick McTaggart won gold and silver at the 1958 and 1962 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff and Melbourne, was the first British boxer to compete in three Olympiads and remains the only Scottish boxer to win Olympic gold. On Thursday 3 October he added to his accolades as he collected the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards in Edinburgh.
A staunch supporter of the sport, Dick was in the stands supporting at the London 2012 Olympics and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, where he presented the medals in the Lightweight event, in which Team Scotland’s Charlie Flynn won gold. Charlie was on hand to return the favour, presenting the award alongside Minister of Sport and Public Health, Joe FitzPatrick MSP and CGF President and Team Scotland athlete in 1962, Dame Louise Martin.
“I’m surprised and shocked,” Dick said on receiving his award. “As a matter of fact I’m very happy and humbled. Nobody told me, it’s very nice. When they read my name out my wife said, ‘that’s you’ and I said, ‘I can’t go up there, I can hardly walk!’ But I made it and it was a huge honour, I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
The competitive spirit is still strong – the answer to the question of who would win a match between himself and Charlie if both were at the height of their powers was delivered with a huge grin – “Me, of course!”
The 83 year old also became something of a social media hit with his winner’s interview watched almost 50,000 times.
Having experienced close to a home crowd as he was crowned Commonwealth champion at the Cardiff 1958 Games, he says there’s nothing like it to spur you on to Commonwealth Gold.
He said: “The support at home is a huge factor for a fighter and when I competed in Cardiff it was a home crowd for me. To this day I still remember walking into the arena with everyone cheering my name. Nothing can match it and it does give you that edge.”
Dick was born to box. One of 18 children born in a tough neighbourhood in Dundee, the young fighter had to spar with his brothers. It stood them in good stead. The family had the honour of claiming the national boxing championship titles from all three forces. Dick was RAF champion for five years, his brother Peter Royal Navy champion and another brother was army champion.
At first he wasn’t selected to box for Scotland and boxed for England instead, but luckily Team Scotland finally noticed his talent and he brought home two Olympic medals for Team GB as well as two medals for Scotland as a lightweight amateur boxer at the Commonwealth Games.
He credits the discipline and fun Boxing offered with keeping him active and out of trouble.
He said: “Amateur boxing instils discipline and keeps kids off the streets. Since my success I’ve worked with many youngsters and some of my happiest memories are of when I was national coach for 12 years throughout the 80s and 90s.
“It felt like I could give something back and offer the next generation some of the benefits of my success. I saw the world, I travelled everywhere from Los Angeles, New Zealand, Canada, Australia. The opportunities sport offers are amazing, it’s not just about the competing but the training itself prepares you for anything in life.”
“We’re still doing well in Scotland, I think it’s harder now to win a gold medal. They need to be fit for a start, not 99% fit, they need to be 100% fit when they go into that ring, especially at a championship. If you want to win a gold you’ve got the be fit.”
Dick won 610 of his 634 fights throughout his career, sealing his place in Scotland’s Hall of Fame. He was also awarded an MBE for his dedication to his sport.
Following an outstanding season that saw her become the first British woman ever to win an individual ISSF World Championship title, Seonaid McIntosh added to her accolades, becoming the first shooter ever to lift the Emirates Lonsdale Trophy as 2019 Scottish Sportsperson of the Year, at the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards.
With ‘Celebrating Our Past, Building Our Future’ the theme of the night, the room was packed with Scottish sporting stars from across the generations and World, Olympic and Commonwealth champions rubbed shoulders with the stars of tomorrow. The evening was an inspirational celebration of their outstanding achievements, as well as the success of individuals, schools, clubs and teams across the whole of Scottish sport.
After being named Female Athlete of the Year, Seonaid then put her name on the Emirates Lonsdale Trophy alongside past winners such as Sir Chris Hoy, Sir Andy Murray and Dame Katherine Grainger. She made history last September by taking World Championships gold with a perfect last shot of 10.9 in the 50m Rifle Prone final, anchored Britain to their first ever team medal in this event and secured a Tokyo 2020 Olympic Quota Place for Team GB in the Rifle 3 Positions. At World Cups this year she won first ever medals for a British female athlete including silver and gold in 50m Rifle 3 Positions and silver in the 10m Air Rifle. A subsequent world record and rise to World and European No. 1 in the most recent rankings has capped a fantastic year.
Seonaid’s success came on a superb night for the McIntosh family, as Seonaid’s father and coach Donald McIntosh took the Coach of the Year award. Alongside Seonaid’s phenomenal record, Donald also coached elder daughter Jen to a fitting farewell performance as she won World Championships bronze in the Women’s Rifle Prone team event alongside Seonaid and Zoe Bruce before announcing her retirement from top level competition.
Emirates Lonsdale winner in 2018, Duncan Scott had another sensational year, which saw him claim World Championships bronze in the 200m Freestyle, making a strong anti-doping stand at the medal ceremony, before following up with the second fastest freestyle relay split of all time in the 4 x 100m Medley Relay. His incredible swim to come from over a second behind to anchor Great Britain to gold in European record time gave him the nod for Male Athlete of the Year. He topped an extremely strong shortlist, which included Boxing World Champion Josh Taylor and European Mountain Running Champion Jacob Adkin.
Cycling had a hugely successful night, boasting the winners of both Para-Sport Athlete and Young Athlete of the Year. Neil Fachie MBE, with pilot Matt Rotherham, took the Para-Sport award for the second year in succession after winning gold and silver at the World Para-Cycling Championships, despite a spectacular crash on the final bend of the Tandem B Sprint event. Their Sprint victory gave Neil an incredible 13th World Championship title.
In contrast, at the start of his sporting career, Charlie Aldridge was the winner of the Sir Peter Heatly Trophy as Young Athlete of the Year following his historic win at the World Junior Mountain Bike Championships. The first British male athlete ever to win gold and the rainbow jersey in the cross-country event, his journey back from major shoulder surgery to top the World Championships podium marked him out as a future star.
There were huge receptions for Josh Taylor and Lawn Bowls duo Alex Marshall MBE and Paul Foster MBE, popular winners of Sporting Moment of the Year and Team of the Year respectively. Josh’s brilliant win over previously unbeaten Ivan Baranchyk to lift the IBC World Super-Lightweight title, was the moment that captured the heart of the nation and majority of the public vote. Marshall and Foster’s World Indoor Championships gold and a strong showing at the Atlantic Rim Championships gave them the nod over Scotland Women’s Football and Scottish Wheelchair Curling for Team of the Year.
Olympic champion in 1956, Dick McTaggart MBE was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of an outstanding Boxing career. His overall record was phenomenal, winning 610 of 634 amateur bouts, and encompassed Olympic gold and bronze, Commonwealth gold and silver and the European title. He remains Scotland’s only Olympic Boxing champion to date and has inspired countless others in the sport.
With beneficiary of the fundraising effort on the evening, the Team Scotland Youth Trust, celebrating its 30th birthday, it was fitting that Team Scot of the Year was awarded to Paul Morron MBE, whose incredibly generous contributions over the years have supported over 90 athlete financial awards across 18 sports. A remarkably humble man who has kept a low profile, the only benefit he has sought is the knowledge that he has helped each young person develop their potential.
Individuals and organisations driving success at all levels of Scottish sport were also honoured, with Scottish Athletics winning Sport Governing Body of the Year for the third time in four years and Bill Morrison Gardiner named as Volunteer of the Year for his fantastic work with LEAP Sports, while Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club took Community Hub, Club or School of the Year.
Paul Bush OBE, Chair of Commonwealth Games Scotland, said: “This has been a fantastic celebration of what has been and continues to be a golden year for Scottish sport, as well as a chance to look back and recognise the inspirational achievements of previous generations who paved the way for today’s stars.
“A huge thank you to our partners and sponsors, whose support has made this fantastic event possible and enables us to properly recognise the achievements of the individuals, teams and organisations that help to put Scotland on the sporting map.
“There is much to look forward to before 2019 ends, not least Glasgow playing host to the European Short Course Swimming Championships in December, and of course in 2020 the eyes of the world will turn to Tokyo as it plays host to the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. I am quite sure we will be celebrating our athletes’ achievements at these and other major events this time next year.”
Over 500 people joined the celebrations at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, where the evening was hosted by highly respected TV presenters Amy Irons and Dougie Vipond, with funds raised for the Team Scotland Youth Trust.
2019 AWARD WINNERS
Scottish Sportsperson of the Year – Emirates Lonsdale Trophy: Seonaid McIntosh, Shooting
Male Athlete of the Year – sponsored by Commonwealth Games Scotland: Duncan Scott, Swimming
Female Athlete of the Year – sponsored by QTV Sports: Seonaid McIntosh, Shooting
Para-Sport Athlete of the Year – sponsored by sportscotland: Neil Fachie MBE with Matt Rotherham, Para-Cycling
Young Athlete of the Year – Sir Peter Heatly Trophy, sponsored by The Park Practice: Charlie Aldridge, Cycling
Team of the Year – sponsored by PSL Team Sports: Alex Marshall MBE & Paul Foster MBE, Lawn Bowls
Coach of the Year – sponsored by EICC: Donald McIntosh, Shooting
Sporting Moment of the Year – sponsored by Aberdeen Standard Investments:
Josh Taylor
Volunteer of the Year – sponsored by J Thomson Colour Printers: Bill Morrison Gardiner, LEAP Sports
Governing Body of the Year – sponsored by Eden Mill: Scottish Athletics
Community Hub, Club or School of the Year – sponsored by Active Scotland: Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club
Lifetime Achievement – sponsored by Commonwealth Games Scotland: Dick McTaggart MBE, Boxing
Team Scot of the Year – sponsored by Commonwealth Games Scotland: Paul Morron MBE
The finalists have been revealed in ten hotly contested award categories, as anticipation continues to mount ahead of the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Thursday 3 October. From dozens of nominations received and thousands of votes cast in an online poll, the top contenders in the running for awards have been named.
A host of Scotland’s top athletes will be in attendance, and with ‘Celebrating Our Past, Building Our Future the theme of the evening, the room will be packed with Scottish sporting stars from across the generations. They will be joined by leaders from the worlds of sport and business to celebrate a golden year for Scottish sport, recognising the stunning achievements of individuals, schools, clubs and teams across the whole country. This special night of inspiration and entertainment will be hosted by respected television presenters Amy Irons and Dougie Vipond, with funds being raised for the Team Scotland Youth Trust as it celebrates 30 years of supporting young athletes.
Awarded to the individual athlete whose achievement represents excellence in sport at the highest level, winners of Male Athlete, Female Athlete, Para-Sport Athlete and Young Athlete of the Year will go forward with a chance to add their name to the historic Emirates Lonsdale Trophy as the 2019 Scottish Sportsperson of the Year. The winner will follow in the footsteps of past recipients including six-time winner, Sir Chris Hoy.
In the running is last year’s winner, swimmer Duncan Scott, who picked up where he left off in 2018 with individual bronze and a stunning relay leg to anchor Great Britain to gold at the World Championships. Boxer Josh Taylor, shooter Seonaid McIntosh and Para-Cycling duo Neil Fachie and Matt Rotherham, all crowned World champions over the past 12 months, will also feature. They are joined by a host of other major championship medalists, including double European indoor champion Laura Muir and World Judo Championships bronze medallist Sally Conway.
Scotland’s emerging stars create a strong line-up of finalists for Young Athlete of the Year with World junior cycling champion Charlie Aldridge joined on the shortlist by six-time European Youth Olympics swimming medalist Katie Shanahan and boxer Vicky Glover, the first Scottish woman ever to win a European Championships medal with U22 bronze. Scotland’s team sports have also been in fine form over the last year, with Wheelchair Curling, Football, and Lawn Bowls represented on the shortlist for Team of the Year.
Also recognised are the grassroots organisations and individuals making a difference to Scottish sport. The standard of nominations for Governing Body of the Year, Community Hub, Club or School of the Year and Volunteer of the Year were particularly strong with tough decisions faced by the judging panel to narrow it down to just three finalists.
The Scottish public have also come out in force to vote for Scotland’s Sporting Moment of the Year in an online poll to decide which outstanding Scottish sporting performance over the last 12 months has captured the hearts of the nation. From a shortlist of six, the winner will be announced on Awards night.
As we honour Scotland’s sporting heroes, those who have worked behind the scenes to guide them to unprecedented success over the past 12 months will also step into the limelight, with outstanding candidates coaching at World Cups and World and European Championships named as finalists for Coach of the Year. Also to be recognised will be two inspirational contributors to Scottish sporting life in Team Scot of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Paul Bush OBE, Chair, Commonwealth Games Scotland, reflecting on the strength of nominees said: “2019 has been another phenomenal year for Scottish sport, with some truly historic achievements and our stars excelling at the highest level across a huge array of sports.
“From athletes performing at the highest level to the organisations helping people take their first steps into physical activity, the individuals and teams shortlisted represent the absolute pinnacle of achievement in sport. I look forward to celebrating with them at our very own Scottish Sporting ‘Oscars’, on what will be a memorable and inspirational evening.”
CATEGORY FINALISTS
Male Athlete of the Year – supported by Commonwealth Games Scotland
Jacob Adkin (Athletics)
Duncan Scott (Swimming)
Josh Taylor (Boxing)
Female Athlete of the Year – supported by QTV Sports
Sally Conway (Judo)
Seonaid McIntosh (Shooting)
Laura Muir (Athletics)
Para-Sport Athlete of the Year – supported by sportscotland
Neil Fachie with Matt Rotherham (Cycling)
Abbie McNally (Athletics)
Scott Quin (Swimming)
Team of the Year – supported by PSL Team Sports
Alex Marshall & Paul Foster (Lawn Bowls)
Scottish Wheelchair Curling
Scotland Women’s Football
Young Athlete of the Year – supported by The Park Practice
Charlie Aldridge (Cycling)
Vicky Glover (Boxing)
Katie Shanahan (Swimming)
Coach of the Year – supported by EICC
Shelley Kerr (Football)
Donald McIntosh (Shooting)
Andy Young (Athletics)
Volunteer of the Year – supported by J Thomson Colour Printers
Fiona Davidson (Athletics)
Willie McAulay (Shooting)
Bill Morrison Gardiner (LEAP Sports)
Community Hub / School / Club of the Year – supported by Active Scotland
Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club
Edinburgh Athletics Club
St Madoes Active Sports Hub
Governing Body of the Year – supported by Eden Mill
Cricket Scotland
Scottish Athletics
Scottish Disability Sport
Sporting Moment of the Year – supported by Aberdeen Standard Investments
Boxing: Josh Taylor becomes World Champion at the Hydro.
Football: Scotland Women celebrate World Cup qualification.
Athletics: Laura Muir storms to European Indoor 3,000m gold with an incredible last lap.
Rugby: Scotland’s incredible Calcutta Cup comeback
Swimming: Duncan Scott anchors GB to Medley Relay gold with second fastest freestyle leg of all-time.
Golf: Catriona Matthew leads Europe to dramatic Solheim Cup win at Gleneagles.
Three standout performers make up an incredibly strong shortlist for Male Athlete of the Year at the 2019 Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards on 3 October.
Winner of this Award for the past two years and last year’s Emirates Lonsdale Scottish Sportsperson of the Year, swimmer Duncan Scott is once again in the frame after a standout performance at the World Championships. He is joined by boxing World Champion Josh Taylor and European Mountain Running gold medallist Jacob Adkin as the trio go head to head for the prestigious award.
Following an incredible 2018 which saw Duncan Scott win multiple medals at both Commonwealth Games and European Championships, he proved himself once again on the championship stage in 2019. He took World Championships bronze in the 200 metre Freestyle, making a strong anti-doping stand at the medal ceremony. Despite all the attention, and potential distraction, this brought he followed up with an incredible leg in the 4 x 100 metre Medley Relay, anchoring Great Britain home to gold in European Record time. He produced the second fastest freestyle relay split of all time, and the fastest ever in textile, to come from over a second behind to take gold.
In May, boxer Josh Taylor claimed his first world title with a points victory against Ivan Baranchyk in the IBF Super-lightweight title bout in Glasgow, knocking down the previously unbeaten Belarusian twice in the sixth round. With the bout doubling as the World Boxing Super Series semi-final, Josh now faces American Regis Prograis in the final for the chance to be crowned undisputed world champion. In the quarter-finals in November 2018 he defeated Ryan Martin of the USA, the referee ending the contest in the seventh round, to retain his WBC Silver title and set up the world title bout with Baranchyk. Josh moves on to 15 wins from 15 in his professional career, which includes four successful defences of his WBC Silver super-lightweight title.
Having made his senior international debut as recently as September 2018, finishing 6th at the World Mountain Running Championships in Andorra, Jacob Adkin won European Mountain Running Championship gold in July 2019. He is the first British senior male and first Scottish senior athlete to become European Mountain Running Champion and the first British senior male to win a medal on an uphill only course for 20 years. Jacob also led the British men’s team to European Team gold, being backed by fellow Scots Robbie Simpson in 7th place and Andy Douglas in 9th. This is the first time Britain has ever won the senior men’s European Team Championship.
Paul Bush, Chairman, Commonwealth Games Scotland said: “All three finalists have excelled on the international stage and each would be a worthy winner of this award. I congratulate them on their success and look forward to celebrating their achievements on what will be a memorable and inspirational night.”
Winners across all award categories will be crowned at the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards in a star-studded celebration of Scottish sport on 3 October at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
With the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards just two weeks away, Commonwealth Games Scotland, in partnership with Aberdeen Standard Investments, is excited to announce the launch of the Sporting Moment of the Year 2019 public vote.
From Scotland securing a historic place at their first ever Women’s Football World Cup to Josh Taylor emerging as IBF Super-Lightweight Champion of the World, Scotland’s sporting stars have thrilled and inspired throughout the year in an impressive array of sports.
Six top Scottish sporting moments have been shortlisted by our judges, with the winner to be determined by an online public vote. The award will go to the sporting performance over the last 12 months that has captured the hearts of the nation.
An incredible comeback on the rugby pitch to retain the Calcutta Cup, Laura Muir leaving her rivals trailing in her wake to complete a golden ‘double double’ at the European Indoor Athletics Championships and Duncan Scott’s phenomenal swim to clinch World Championships 4x100m Medley Relay gold for Great Britain with the second fastest split in history were among the highlights. And just a week ago Catriona Matthew lead Europe to a thrilling single point victory at the Soheim Cup at Gleneagles.
Each of these moments has made Scotland proud, but which deserves to take the title of Sporting Moment of the Year 2019?
Register your vote in our Online Poll
Voting will close at 23.59 on Sunday 29 September with the winner to be revealed at the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards on Thursday 3 October.
From double acts to national teams inspiring at major events, Scotland’s team sports have given the nation a lot to celebrate over the past year, with some memorable victories. From a strong list of nominations, three superb finalists have been shortlisted for the title of Team of the Year at the 2019 Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards on 3 October.
Scotland’s silver medallists from the World Wheelchair Curling Championships line up alongside the history making Scottish Women’s National Football team and Lawn Bowls duo Alex Marshall and Paul Foster as the trio go head to head for the prestigious award sponsored by PSL Team Sports.
Scotland won a brilliant silver medal on home soil as the World Wheelchair Curling Championships came to Stirling in March, causing an upset by defeating defending champions Norway in the semi-final before just missing out to Paralympic Champions China in the final. For Scottish skip Aileen Neilson and her team mates David Melrose, Robert McPherson, Hugh Nibloe and alternate Gary Logan it was an impressive finish after a faltering start to the week which saw them lose their first two matches. However, the Scots regrouped magnificently and victories against Germany, Norway, Korea, USA, Russia, Estonia and Canada led to a third place finish on the table and a play-off place secured. Scotland had lost to Slovakia in the round robin stage but they took their revenge in the play-off with a 7-6 victory after an extra end. A 7-3 semi-final victory over reigning World Champions Norway lined up a place in the final and a magnificent silver medal.
Head Coach Sheila Swan said: “We are delighted to be short-listed for this award in recognition of our achievements at the World Wheelchair Curling Championships in Stirling earlier this year. To receive this acknowledgement among many other worthy nominees championing Scottish sporting success is a huge honour. The best of luck to everyone!”
In the summer of 2019, the Scotland Women’s National Team created history as they competed at their first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup. After defying the odds to qualify, Shelley Kerr’s side created a real buzz prior to the tournament, defeating Iceland, Denmark and Brazil in the build-up. More than 18,000 spectators showed their support for the team for their World Cup send-off game, against Jamaica, at Hampden Park – the first time the team had played at the national stadium since 2012 – and Scotland didn’t disappoint, winning 3-2. Shelley Kerr’s side travelled out to France backed by a large travelling support, with a television audience of 6.1 million watching their opening match against England indicative of the level of support back home.
Despite their exit at the group stages, the Scotland Women’s National Team accomplished their goal of inspiring the next generation of young girls to play the game. Participation rates have risen amongst young female footballers and the exploits of the team in their maiden World Cup adventure captivated a nation.
Team Captain Rachel Corsie said: “To be nominated for the Team of the Year Award is a huge honour and one we’re very excited about. 2019 has been an unforgettable year for Scottish Women’s Football. The experience was incredible and we want to continue to drive the country to more successes.
“We are very grateful for the support, especially by those who travelled to cheer us on in the stands, and also the millions watching back home and we have been humbled by the recognition the team has collectively received. We want this to be part of the catalyst for women’s football in this country and as players we want to continue to make history and set new boundaries at these major tournaments.”
Alex Marshall and Paul Foster won their fourth Men’s Pairs gold together in dramatic fashion at the 2019 World Indoor Championships. The pair started well and were soon in command, winning the opening set 8-6. The second set started with some high scores, sitting at 8-3 to the Scots after three ends. However, from this point the English pairing hit top form to open up a 13-8 lead with only two ends remaining. A spirited comeback saw the Scots go into their final bowl one shot down. Alex, as he has done under pressure at the highest level on numerous occasions now, played a perfectly weighted world-class shot to put the pair in a match winning position. When Brett missed with his strike, the title was theirs for a fourth time, following their wins in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Alex and Paul had another stand out international performance at the 2019 Atlantic Rim Championships in Wales where they took silver in the Men’s Pairs, teamed up with Ronnie Duncan and Derek Oliver to win Fours gold and helped Scotland to the overall team title.
Paul Bush, Chairman, Commonwealth Games Scotland said: “The finalists in this category represent the best of team working and their outstanding achievements are testament to this. I congratulate them all on their success and look forward to celebrating with them on what will be a memorable and inspirational night.”
PSL Team Sports, the leading supplier of sportswear to schools, universities and clubs in Scotland, sponsor the Team of the Year Award for a fourth consecutive year. Their professional design team, experience in fabrics, products and logistics and their state of the art printing and embroidery facilities offer an exceptional service to over 200 organisations across the UK.
Recently acquired by leading independent school uniform and sportswear provider Stevensons, the partnership are using their collective wealth of knowledge and contacts, unrivalled within the industry, to continue to provide value, service and product development. With the backing of Stevensons, PSL plan to become the largest supplier of multisport Teamwear throughout the UK.
Winners across all award categories will be crowned at the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards in a star-studded celebration of Scottish sport on 3 October at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
From World medallists to World record breakers, Scotland’s Para-Sport athletes have excelled in 2019. From an incredibly strong list of nominations, three major championship medallists have been named as finalists for Para-Sport Athlete of the Year at the 2019 Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards on 3 October.
Winners of this award last year, cycling duo Neil Fachie and Matt Rotherham are shortlisted again after gold and silver at the World Championships and are joined by sprinter Abbie McNally, double silver medallist at the World Junior Championships, and World record breaking swimmer Scott Quin. The finalists will go head to head for the prestigious award sponsored by sportscotland.
Neil Fachie with pilot Matt Rotherham successfully defended their World Championship title in the Tandem B Sprint, despite a spectacular crash at almost 75kmph on the final bend. After taking the win over GB team mates Ball and Mitchell in the first sprint, the pair just needed one more to be crowned world champions. But a crash temporarily left their title in doubt as both were helped from the track sporting visible injuries. The significant lead they held over their compatriots meant the commissaires awarded them the win as opposed to restarting the race giving Neil his 13th world title and his seventh in this event. Victory saw the pair reverse the result of the Kilo held the previous day where Neil and Matt took silver.
“2018 was a tough year to follow,” said Neil. “An incident packed World Champs for myself and Matt culminated in gold and silver, despite crashes and mishaps. It’s been another incredible year for sport in Scotland, particularly in para-sport. As such it is a tremendous honour to be nominated for this award.”
Abbie McNally only took up athletics four years ago and 2019 has been a breakthrough year on the international stage for the 18 year old. She competed in her first ever Para-Athletics Grand Prix in Italy, setting personal best times in both 100m and 200m, before being selected for the British team at the World Junior Para Athletics Championships in Switzerland, where she took silver in both sprint distances. She is a huge inspiration for others, acting as an ambassador for disability sport and regularly speaking to athletes and coaches, using her own experience and journey to motivate others.
Delighted to be named as a finalist, Abbie said: “I am very honoured to be shortlisted for such a prestigious award. Thank you to everyone for all the support I have had on my journey so far.”
Scott Quin showed fantastic early season form with a World record time at the British Para-Swimming International in April this year. The 2016 Paralympic silver medallist recorded a time of 1.05.28 for the SB14 100m Breaststroke, stripping a full second from his previous best time during the heats. He then posted another sub 66 second swim in the final to claim top spot and the gold medal in the event. Since nominations for the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards closed he has gone on to win silver at the recent World Para-Swimming Championships in London, replicating his result from the 2015 championships held in Glasgow.
“It’s an honour to be nominated in this category,” said Scott. “2018/2019 was a long season with the World Championships being rescheduled to September. But it has been a consistent season for me dropping my times in short course and long course competition. With Tokyo less than a year away I just want train hard and focus on my own process and be ready for Trials in April to try and qualify then hopefully after that set my sights on the Paralympic Games.”
Paul Bush, Chairman, Commonwealth Games Scotland said: “Scotland’s para-sport athletes have thrilled and inspired over the past 12 months and our three finalists represent the absolute pinnacle of achievement. I look forward to celebrating their successes with them on what will be a memorable and inspirational night.”
Sponsor of the Para-Sport Athlete of the Year Award is sportscotland, the lead agency for the development of sport in Scotland. sportscotland’s mission is to build a world class sporting system for everyone in Scotland, making sport a way of life, placing it at the heart of society and making a positive impact on people and communities.
Winners across all award categories will be crowned at the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards in a star-studded celebration of Scottish sport on 3 October at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
Three of Scotland’s brightest sporting prospects have been named as finalists for the Sir Peter Heatly Trophy and the title of Young Athlete of the Year at the 2019 Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards on 3 October.
All three have graced major championship podiums this year, with mountain biker Charlie Aldridge shortlisted alongside boxer Vicky Glover and swimmer Katie Shanahan. The trio are in the running to take the prestigious award sponsored by The Park Practice.
The future of Scottish sport looks to be in good hands with this one of the most difficult categories for our judges to choose a shortlist of just three from the many outstanding nominations received. Each of our finalists has stepped up this year to perform in style on the international stage, following in the footsteps of past winners such as World and Olympic medallists; swimmer Duncan Scott and cyclist Katie Archibald.
Charlie Aldridge was crowned the 2019 World Junior Champion in Cross-Country Mountain Bike, the first gold medal and rainbow jersey ever to be won by a British male in the cross-country discipline. Crowned European Youth champion in 2017, Charlie had already made history earlier in this year as he became the first British male to win a UCI Mountain Bike Junior Series event on foreign soil with victory in Germany. He finished 11 seconds clear of the field at the World Championships and after major shoulder surgery last winter his achievement is testament to his character and hard work to get back to fitness.
Following Vicky Glover’s appearance at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games she has continued to blaze a trail for Scottish women’s boxing, becoming one of the first three Scottish women to compete at a World Championships in November 2018. In March she won Scotland’s first ever female major championship boxing medal with European Under 22 bronze and continued her great year by winning gold at the GB Elite Championships in May.
“It’s brilliant to be nominated for this award,” said Vicky. “With the number of talented athletes in Scotland, I’m absolutely delighted to be short listed as a finalist.”
Katie Shanahan returned from the European Youth Olympic Festival in Baku as the most decorated British athlete across all sports with three individual gold, setting new championships records in all three events, and three silver medals in relay events. She also won 400m IM bronze at the European Junior Championships, setting a new British age group and Scottish junior record in the process. All the more impressive as she only turned 15 in June and has two more years as a junior swimmer.
Paul Bush, Chairman, Commonwealth Games Scotland said: “The breadth and depth of nominations received for this award, and the wide range of sports represented, shows that the future of Scottish sport is in good hands. We have an incredibly strong line up in our three finalists who have delivered some truly outstanding results on the international stage. I congratulate them on their tremendous achievements over the past year and look forward to following their future successes.”
Sponsor of the Young Athlete of the Year Award is Glasgow based dental clinic The Park Practice, dental services supplier to Team Scotland for Gold Coast 2018 and for the Bahamas 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games. A former rugby player with GHK and Glasgow Hawks, principal dentist Mike Blackie started The Park Practice Dental Clinic in 1999. The practice has a holistic approach to its patients and has always had a high proportion of patients with sporting backgrounds. Over the years the team at The Park Practice has treated various trauma injuries in professional rugby players and have passionately encouraged rugby and hockey players, especially, to wear correctly fitted sports mouth guards.
Winners across all award categories will be crowned at the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards in a star-studded celebration of Scottish sport on 3 October at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
After an incredible year of inspirational performances in women’s sport in Scotland, three major championship medallists have been named as finalists for Female Athlete of the Year at the 2019 Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards on 3 October.
Winner of this award in both 2017 and 2018, Laura Muir is named as a finalist for the third year running after double gold at the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow. She is joined by shooting World Champion Seonaid McIntosh and World Judo Championships bronze medallist Sally Conway on a strong shortlist for the prestigious award sponsored by QTV Sports.
In March, at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Laura Muir completed an unprecedented ‘Double Double’ at the European Indoor Championships winning 1500m and 3000m gold to become the first athlete in history to successfully defend two titles. Her final lap in the 3000m was one of the moments of the championships as she left her rivals trailing in her wake. This year, Laura also rewrote the British Record books once again as she smashed the indoor mile mark with a superb run of 4.18.75, almost five seconds faster than Kirsty Wade’s record which had stood for 31 years, and well inside the Scottish Record held by Yvonne Murray. It was also the third fastest time of all-time for the mile indoors for women, with Laura’s 1500m split, at 4.01.83, also a new British Record, breaking her own mark for that distance.
“This past year has been such an important one for me in terms of having a major championship here in Scotland,” said Laura. “To win two European titles in front of a packed crowd at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow was so very special for me, and I’m delighted that it has brought joy to others and that this is reflected in the nomination for Female Athlete of the Year.”
With a perfect last shot of 10.9 in the 50m Rifle Prone final, Seonaid McIntosh made history last September by taking gold and becoming the first British woman ever to win an individual ISSF World Championship title. She also anchored Britain to their first ever team medal in this event and her 4th place in the Rifle 3 Positions event secured a Tokyo 2020 Olympic Quota Place for Team GB. In May she won silver in the 3P event at the World Cup in Munich, the first ever British medal in this event by a female athlete and in August was back on the World Cup podium in Rio de Janeiro with silver in the 10m Air Rifle. Three days later she took gold in the 50m Rifle 3P, the first ever World Cup Gold in a rifle event for a British female athlete since the World Cup circuit came into being in 1985. A rise to World and European No. 1 in the most recent rankings caps a fantastic year.
Delighted to be named as a finalist, Seonaid said: “I’ve had a really good season this year, both sporting and otherwise, and being shortlisted for this award is really the icing on the cake!”
Sally Conway won Great Britain’s first medal at the World Judo Championships in August 2019 in Tokyo, claiming bronze in the under 70kg category. Having missed out on the final, the 32-year-old went on to throw Austria’s Michaela Polleres for Ippon in the bronze medal match, to secure her first world medal. Sally has now won a medal at all major championships, having already made Olympic, European and Commonwealth podiums. As a result of a fantastic year she is currently in a qualifying spot for the Tokyo Olympics.
“I’m so happy to be a finalist for Team Scotland Female Athlete of the Year,” said Sally. “I really wasn’t expecting it at all and it’s very exciting to be nominated.”
Paul Bush, Chairman, Commonwealth Games Scotland said: “All three finalists have thrilled and inspired over the past year with major championship medals and record-breaking performances. I congratulate them on their many successes and look forward to celebrating their achievements at the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards on 3 October.”
The Female Athlete of the Year Award is sponsored by QTV Sports, one of the UK’s leading producers of sports content. Working with over fifty rights-holders in 25 countries, they deliver a range of production and digital content services, with partners including over a dozen international federations including cricket, hockey, archery, bowls and curling. They also pursue a local ambition to diversify coverage of Scottish sport and are well established as a broadcast and digital media partner in many Scottish sports, including badminton, cricket, football, hockey, netball, rugby, swimming, and tennis.
Winners across all award categories will be crowned at the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards in a star-studded celebration of Scottish sport on 3 October at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.