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 13 September. 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 on the evening, including many of the medallists from the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games and the recent European Championships. 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 Hazel Irvine and Dougie Vipond, with funds being raised for the Scottish Commonwealth Games Youth Trust.

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 2018 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 are swimmer Duncan Scott, whose six medals in Gold Coast make him Scotland’s most successful athlete at a single Games and bowler Alex Marshall MBE, whose record fifth gold medal on the Australian greens makes him Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Games athlete of all-time. They are joined by a host of Commonwealth Games and European Championships medallists, including fellow Gold Coast history maker Grace Reid, whose Diving gold was Scotland’s first for 60 years and a first ever in the women’s events and cyclist, Katie Archibald.

Scotland’s emerging stars create a strong line-up of finalists for Young Athlete of the Year with diver Lucas Thomson and triathlete Erin Wallace, who both made their senior Commonwealth Games debut in Gold Coast, joined on the shortlist by European Youth 1500m champion Kane Elliott and World Youth Windsurfing champion Islay Watson. Scotland’s team sports have also been in fine form, with Rugby, Football, Basketball and Lawn Bowls represented on the shortlist for Team of the Year.

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 named as finalists for Coach of the Year.

Also recognised are the organisations and individuals making a difference to Scottish sport from the grassroots to international level. 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 come out in force to vote for Scotland’s Sporting Moment of the Year in an online poll to decide which Scottish sporting performance over the last 12 months deserves to take the title. From a shortlist of seven, the winner will be announced on Awards night.

Paul Bush OBE, Chair, Commonwealth Games Scotland, said: “2018 has been a standout year for Scottish sport, with a packed schedule of major events including the Commonwealth Games, Winter Olympics and Paralympics and a European Championships on home soil in Glasgow.

“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 Brand Oath

Alex Marshall MBE (Lawn Bowls)

Duncan Scott (Swimming)

Mark Stewart (Cycling)

Jake Wightman (Athletics)

Female Athlete of the Year – supported by J Thomson Colour Printers

Katie Archibald (Cycling)

Laura Muir (Athletics)

Grace Reid (Diving)

Para-Sport Athlete of the Year – supported by sportscotland

Neil Fachie with Matt Rotherham (Cycling)

Alison Patrick with Hannah Drewett / Nicole Walters (Triathlon)

Toni Shaw (Swimming)

Team of the Year – supported by PSL Team Sports

Team Scotland Basketball, Gold Coast 2018

Celtic Football Club

Team Scotland Lawn Bowls, Gold Coast 2018

Scotland Men’s Rugby

Young Athlete of the Year – supported by the Scottish Commonwealth Games Youth Trust

Kane Elliott (Athletics)

Lucas Thomson (Diving)

Erin Wallace (Athletics/Triathlon)

Islay Watson (Windsurfing)

Coach of the Year – supported by University of Stirling

Lesley McKenna (Snowsports)

Steven Tigg (Swimming)

Andy Young (Athletics)

Volunteer of the Year – supported by QTV Sports

Kamil Cybulski (Basketball)

Janice Eaglesham (Disability Sport)

Jim Hay (Squash)

Community Hub / School / Club of the Year – supported by Active Scotland

SAPC Community Sports Hub

Team East Lothian Athletics Club

Tryst Community Sports Hub / Larbert High School

Governing Body of the Year

Cricket Scotland

Scottish Cycling

Scottish Disability Sport

Sporting Moment of the Year – supported by Aberdeen Standard Investments

Cycling: Mark Stewart wins Points Race gold at Gold Coast 2018, beating five-time World Champion Cameron Mayer.

Lawn Bowls: Scotland’s Men’s Fours snatch victory over Australia in the final end of the Gold Coast 2018 final, a record fifth Commonwealth Games gold for Alex Marshall MBE.

Diving: Grace Reid nails her final dive of the Gold Coast 2018 1m Springboard final to take Scotland’s first diving gold for 60 years and a first ever in the women’s events.

Cricket: Scotland stun England in One Day International Cricket with a historic victory on home soil over the number one ranked side in the world.

Swimming: Duncan Scott wins 100m Freestyle gold in Gold Coast, coming from behind to beat Australian Olympic Champion Kyle Chalmers and multiple world and Olympic medallist Chad Le Clos.

Athletics: Laura Muir, newly qualified as a vet, storms away from the field to take 1500m gold at the European Championships, her first outdoor major championship title.

Triathlon: Marc Austin takes Scotland’s first medal of Gold Coast 2018 in impressive style, dropping World and Olympic medallists the Brownlee brothers on route to the podium.