Scott scoops Athlete of the Year award

Following a year that included British records and gold and silver medals at this summer’s FINA World Championships, University of Stirling swimmer, Duncan Scott, earned yet another accolade last night (21 Sep), as he received the Male Athlete of the Year Award at the Team Scotland Awards.

The third-year Business and Sport Studies student came out on top of an illustrious shortlist as he pipped undefeated boxer, Josh Taylor, Olympic marathon runner, Callum Hawkins, and Britain’s greatest ever tennis player, Andy Murray, to the title which he adds to the Young Athlete Award he won in 2015.

Speaking of the recognition, Scott said: “It was just a massive surprise to be honest. The shortlist was full of world-renowned sportsmen and shows the depth of talent in Scottish sport is getting better and better each year. Firstly, to be nominated was fantastic, but to then have my name called out was something special.

“Swimming is an individual sport, but the team behind me is phenomenal so the award really goes to them. My relay teammates, the University of Stirling, Scottish Swimming and Winning Students - I really couldn’t be where I am without them.”

Despite his ongoing achievements, Scott isn’t giving himself too much time to bask in the success and is already plotting the route to his next major championships.

“Moving forward we have the big targets of the Gold Coast as well as the European Games in Glasgow but first I’ve got a three week altitude camp in Arizona which’ll be hard and then there is the European short course in December which I’m hoping to swim at if selected. After that the focus is just about getting ready for Gold Coast, getting the preparations sorted and then waiting for the team to be announced.”

Hosted at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, the Team Scotland Awards saw over 500 guests join the celebrations where the evening was hosted by award winning TV presenter Hazel Irvine and comedian Fred MacAulay, with funds raised for the Scottish Commonwealth Games Youth Trust.