Scots enjoy a clean sweep of prizes at UK athletics awards
EILISH McCOLGAN shared in a Scottish clean sweep of the British Athlete of the Year prizes and admitted 2022’ s success will be hard to top.
The Commonwealth 10,000 metres champion was crowned joint winner of the Female of the Year with Dundee Hawkhill Harriers club- mate Laura Muir, while Jake Wightman was named Male Athlete of the Year following his golden run over 1500m at the world championships in Oregon.
It is the latest in a string of achievements for 32- year- old McColgan following a summer to remember but the focus must now shift, she says, to more huge opportunities over the next 18 months.
“It was an incredible season from the roads to the track,” the Dundonian said. “Commonwealth Games will always be the moment I remember. Having all my family, it being in Birmingham, it was really surreal. No matter what I do in my career, it will always be the standard that I have. But we have a marathon coming up, then worlds in Budapest. And the ultimate aim is Paris Olympic Games.”
Muir, 29, picked up the women’s prize for the second time in the awards handed out annually by the British Athletics Writers’ Association with the Scot following up her bronze over 1500m at the world championships with a successful defence of her European title in Munich, plus 1500m gold and 800m bronze at the Commonwealths.
“[ The year] has been pretty crazy but pretty amazing,” she said. “It’s very fortunate things worked out very well at all three championships for me and I came away with a lot of medals. I’m very happy and honoured that Eilish and I were voted as Athlete of the Year because she had a fantastic year as well.”
Wightman, 28, picked up the first global gold for a British male over 1500m since Seb Coe’s Olympic triumph in Los Angeles in 1984. The Edinburgh AC star – also shortlisted for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year prize – later gained a bronze at the Commonwealths over the same distance and a silver in the 800m at the Europeans.
“It’s a real honour in what was the busiest year we’ve ever had as athletes,” he said.
Yemi Mary John, who won the world Under- 20 women’s 400m title, was named Junior Female Athlete of the Year with 800m men’s bronze medallist Ethan Hussey claiming the Junior Male honour.
Matt Hudson- Smith was granted the Vikki Orvice Inspiration Award for speaking out on his mental health struggles after picking up bronze in the 400 matt he worlds before landing gold at the Europeans. The Ron Pickering Memorial Award for Services to Athletics went to prominent athlete turnedcoach Aston Moore.
Wightman, meanwhile, is joined by fellow Scot, curler Eve Muirhead, on the shortlist for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award but they face stiff competition with England football star Beth Mead the favourite. The Arsenal forward won the Golden Boot for leading scorer and was named player of the tournament during England’s Euro 2022 victory in the summer.
England cricket captain Ben Stokes, snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan, and gymnast Jessica Gadirova complete the list. The winner will be announced during the live show on BBC One tonight.