Sunday Mail (UK)

Agony over for Lobban

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Young Sports Personalit­y of the Year (Swimming) Sprint specialist Scott became Scotland’s most decorated athlete in the history of the Commonweal­th Youth Games, winning three golds, one silver and one bronze at the 2017 event in The Bahamas. (Athletics) The teenager is the first Scot ever to win a 1500m and 3000m double at the British Junior Championsh­ips then clinched 3000m gold at the European Junior Championsh­ips. (Canoeing) The Edinburgh 18-year-old won K1 200m gold at the European Junior and World Junior Championsh­ips in a stellar 2017. Team of the Year ( Football) In the year they celebrated the 50th anniversar­y of winning the European Cup, the Hoops won an invincible Treble and made the group stage of the Champions League.

Against a backdrop of reduced funding, the ‘Blue Sticks’ won Men’s EuroHockey Championsh­ip II, they qual i f ied for the top tier of European hockey for the first time since 2005 and battled their way to the World League semi-final.

Calum MacRae’s team defended their London Sevens title against the best in the world, pulling off a remarkable come-from-behind win over New Zealand en route. School Sport Award

(Kilmarnock) The first ASN (additional support needs) school to achieve a

the national agency

sportscotl­and,

(Saltcoats) Incredible heart-warming tale of a school’s sports ethos raising funds for a Primary Two pupil suffering cerebral palsy to have life-changing surgery in the USA. ( Paisley) For a school that has 40 per cent of its roll from areas of deprivatio­n, they do a remarkable job of engaging all of their pupils by putting sport at the heart of activities. Coach/Manager of the Year

( Football) Northern Irishman became just the third manager in Hoops history to win a Treble, uniquely doing it undefeated, while qualifying for the Champions League group stage.

(Athletics) A committed coach of para athletes for more than 25 years, Ian’s work with Sammi Kinghorn has earned him most plaudits in 2017.

(Hockey) Fighting funding cuts and lack of time with his players, Derek defied odds and distance to coach his side to European success. Event of the Year

(Dundonald Links) A ground-breaking event, the first co- sanctioned by the American LPGA, boasted the biggest prize fund outside of the Tour’s two Majors at $1.5million, attracting a truly world-class field on the same course as the men’s event.

(Glasgow) The most prestigiou­s event in the sport came to the Emirates Arena in August and showed Glasgow’s

(Murrayfiel­d) Bringing a £35m economic impact to Edinburgh, Scottish Rugby did their European governing body proud with a massive crowds for their showpiece double-header. Inspiratio­nal Performanc­e of the Year

(double v England in World Cup qualifier) For two minutes and 50 seconds in June at Hampden, bums left seats, feet left the ground and a nation left sofas and went into orbit as Leigh scored his first two Scotland goals.

( London Sevens rugby) The first time any Scottish rugby side have beaten the All Blacks in 112 years – and they did it the hard way from 21- 0 down in one of the most thrilling sevens fightbacks.

( T53 200m World record at Para Worlds) Sammi’s very presence on the track is an inspiratio­n after everything the 21-year- old has been through but her record-breaking heroics in the 200m brought the watching nation to a standstill. Local Hero Award

Jack is the driving force behind the girls’ section for award-winning Gartcairn in Airdrie. Tom comes off nightshift to coach his kids and has run trips to Malawi to deliver the area’s first ever female-only football.

A 25 - yea r commi tment to community and school sport in Annandale and Eskdale, Calum goes above and beyond to help young people participat­e in sport.

The founder of Glasgow Fever basketball has taken 10 girls in 2010

Sunday Mail

James is a student graduating from Ayrshire College who volunteers an incredible 40 hours a week to provide opportunit­ies for disadvanta­ged groups. Disability Sport Award

(Athletics) The T53 wheelchair racer wowed the Para World Championsh­ips with two sprint golds and a bronze as well as a new world record. Will now race the marathon at the Commonweal­th Games.

( Table Tennis) An incredible ambassador for his sport and a talent now rocketing up the world rankings, winning at British, European and World level in 2017 with Team GB.

(Swimming) The Deaf lympics is the second oldest multi-sport event outside the Olympics itself and Dani’s incredible haul of two golds and two bronze medals in the pool in Turkey was a GB best. Local Club Award

Running 22 teams from kids to seniors, the Dundee club engages everyone in the community in their efforts, winning the EHF European Club of the Year 2016 for small clubs.

Forward-thinking Fife club was set up to provide a safe environmen­t for motorbike riders to go off-road and curb illegal and anti-social riding.

A finalist last year, Haddington had an even more impressive 2017, creating a huge growth in the sport across East Lothian.

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Squash ace Greg Lobban reckons he can be a golden boy Down Under next spring after bouncing back from a horror injury that made him fear for his career.

The Highlander, 25, joined doubles team-mate Alan Clyne this week as the latest members of Scotland’s Commonweal­th Games squad, with the duo tipped for a medal on the Gold Coast in April after winning the world final this season.

But his recent success came after recovering from ripping his hamstring during a tournament in Chicago – an injury that KO’d him for six months.

He said: “It was really scary. I got up to run for the ball towards the back wall and as I went to stop, something was gone. I couldn’t turn and my body crashed at full speed into the wall.

“There was nothing there. I just collapsed in a heap. It took a month for the docs to put me under the knife.

“I was on crutches and couldn’t even put on my own socks – things that you take for granted. Every day I just looked for an improvemen­t.”

Now he’s fighting fit – and jetting off to Hong Kong today to climb further up the rankings after breaking back into the world’s top 50.

And with Clyne hoping to make it third time lucky at the Commonweal­ths after coming fourth in 2010 and 2014, Lobban claims they have all the tools to be a dream team.

He said: “We know each other’s games inside out. Our styles complement each other – they are a little bit different.

“As a doubles team it’s important to know what the other person will do and what shot they will cover. We know that instinctiv­ely.

“We’re a tough pair to beat and that’s why we won the world title last year.”

Clyne, 31, added: “We are from the same part of the world [the Black Isle] and have known each other for years. I am perhaps more reserved whi le Greg is louder, a ball of energy and also likes to take more risks on the court.

“We are excited about the build-up to the Gold Coast.”

 ??  ?? LOBBAN going for gold
LOBBAN going for gold

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