Scots trio in a photo finish for top award

SCOTTISH Athletics supremo Stephen Maguire believes his crack shots can seize their Olympic medal chances in 2021 after surviving the oddest summer of their lives.

Middle-distance stars Laura Muir, Jemma Reekie and Jake Wightman could not be split in a dead heat with the trio sharing the sport’s Performer of the Year prize.

Past overall Diamond League champion Muir extended her winning streak in Stockholm but watched training partner Reekie land her first two Diamond victories in Rome and Stockholm after two UK indoor records.

Wightman ran the second- quickest 1500 metres by a Brit of all-time in Monaco before a brilliant triumph at the Golden Spike in Ostrava.

Maguire said: “What a great representation of elite, true world- class athletes and people to reflect Scotland actually has a juggernaut of worldclass talent and emerging athletes ready to explode in competition next season.

“Jemma had a very fine indoor season even before excellent performances in the summer.

“Laura went sub-four minutes for the 1500m on three occasions and has the World lead.

“Jake’s Scottish record for the 1500m took our men’s under three minutes 30 for the first time and went No.2 on the British all-time list.

“So they all had very strong claims indeed and that’s why we couldn’t separate them in the photo finish.

“It has been a strange year, of course, and a tough year for so many people in our sport.

“But we still witnessed Scottish athletes starring on the global stage. The level of some performances really was remarkable.” TRIATHLON: Glasgow’s Beth Potter stormed to second place at the World Cup in Arzachena, Italy.