Commonwealth Games Chairman, Michael Cavanagh welcomed sportscotland’s announcement today (Wednesday 31 August), launching their Athlete Personal Awards (SAPAs), which will benefit a host of athletes aiming for Commonwealth Games success in 2014.

Managed by the sportscotland institute of sport, this new three-year initiative offers an annual financial award of £3,000, £5,000 or £10,000 to individual athletes who are considered to have the potential to deliver a medal winning performance at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games (and or the London 2012 Olympic Games).

In the first of three, annual award announcements, forty-five athletes across 13 sports will receive awards totalling £204,000. Recipients include 2010 Commonwealth Games shooting gold medallist Jon Hammond (£10,000), hurdler Eilidh Child (£5,000) and judo’s 20-year-old rising star Samantha Clark (£3,000).

The individual awards are from the sportscotland Lottery Fund and are in addition to any other funding the athlete may receive from sponsors and benefactors. Awards are intended to help the athlete cover training, competition and living costs. Additional support in these areas can be invaluable for athletes looking to make steps towards Olympic or Commonwealth success.

Commonwealth Games and Sport Minister Shona Robison said: “Scotland will be at the centre of the international stage when the Commonwealth Games come to Glasgow in 2014, and we are looking forward to seeing our athletes shine. The sportscotland Athlete Personal Awards are geared towards supporting athletes with the potential to step up onto the podium, and I am delighted to welcome today’s announcement of the first sportsmen and women to be supported. The awards will help athletes concentrate on doing their best and, most importantly, inspire future generations of sports stars in Scotland.”

SAPA recipient, shooter Jen McIntosh said: “Being a full-time athlete has its challenges, and sport is certainly not cheap and easy. There are a number of pressures on athletes financially, which can take their toll on you. The new sportscotland Athlete Personal Awards will go some way to alleviate those pressures and allow me to concentrate on what is most important; my sport.”

Louise Martin CBE, Chair of sportscotland, added: “Every recipient of a sportscotland Athlete Personal Award has been identified through a stringent assessment process as having the potential to deliver a medal winning performance for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“The initiative has been developed by sportscotland in partnership with our SGB partners to give our top athletes every chance of success come 2014. Being an athlete requires 100% commitment, and with that comes certain pressures and demands, which we hope the SAPAs will help to balance.”

Nominations for an award are made by the athlete’s governing body (SGB). The final decision of who receives an individual award is made by a panel of sportscotland staff led by the Director of High Performance, Mike Whittingham.

With Glasgow 2014 less than three years away, Michael Cavanagh concluded: “A number of our athletes still face significant financial challenges in covering the cost of their training and competition, as well as day to day living costs. This means some of them have to compromise on their ideal training regime, or balance it with work commitments, which is less than ideal.

“These awards are extremely welcome and will go a long way toward enabling athletes to focus clearly on realising their potential and winning medals for Team Scotland in 2014.“

Recipients of SAPAs – August 2011

ATHLETICS
Andy Frost – £5000
Eilidh Child – £5000
James Campbell – £5000
Mark Dry – £5000
Stephanie Twell – £5000
Eilish McColgan – £3000
Lynsey Sharp – £3000

BADMINTON
Susan Egelstaff – £5000

BOXING
Aston Brown – £5000
Josh Taylor – £5000

CYCLING
Grant Ferguson – £5000
Katy Winton – £5000

HOCKEY
Abi Walker – £3000
Emily Maguire – £3000
Laura Bartlett – £3000
Niall Stott – £3000
Stephen Dick – £3000
Vikki Bunce – £3000

JUDO
Graham Trinder – £3000
James Millar – £3000
Samantha Clark – £3000

ROWING
Polly Swann – £3000

SHOOTING
Jennifer McIntosh – £10000
Jon Hammond – £10000
Shona Marshall – £10000
John MacDonald – £5000
Matt Thomson – £5000
Neil Stirton – £5000

SQUASH
Alan Clyne – £5000
Lisa Aitken – £5000
Harry Leitch – £3000

SWIMMING
Craig McNally – £5000
Cameron Brodie – £5000
Doug Scott – £5000
Jak Scott – £5000
Kathryn Johnstone – £5000
Lucy Ellis – £5000

TRIATHLON
David McNamee – £5000
Kerry Lang – £5000

WEIGHTLIFTING
Graeme Kane – £5000

WRESTLING
Alex Gladkov – £3000
Craig McKenna – £3000
Jayne Clason – £3000
Kathryn Marsh – £3000
Sean Keogh – £3000