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 6^th 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.