Retired Olympic medallist Eilidh hailed as ‘exemplary role model’ Doyle feted at prestigious awards ceremony for decorated athletics career
RETIRED Olympic medallist and former European champion Eilidh Doyle has been hailed as an “exemplary role model for women and girls” after she was feted at a prestigious awards ceremony.
The 36-year-old, who represented Pitreavie AAC throughout a glittering athletics career, was honoured at the 2023 Scottish Women in Sport Awards, which took place last Friday evening in Glasgow.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the prizegiving ceremony sought to recognise and celebrate the hard work, dedication and commitment that enables young girls and women to participate in every aspect of sporting life.
Eilidh, who hung up her spikes in May 2021, was presented with the Cameron Commercials ‘Pioneer in Sport’ prize, with the organisers noting: “Scotland’s most decorated track and field athlete, with 17 senior international podiums, one British and three Scottish records over the course of her career, Eilidh is an exemplary role model for women and girls both on and off the field.”
Over the course of her stellar career, 400 metre hurdles runner Eilidh represented both Scotland and Great Britain at the highest levels of the sport.
Her list of achievements include winning 400m hurdles European Championships gold in 2014, and 4x400m relay gold two years later, and 4x400m gold, and 400m silver, European Indoor Championships medals in 2013.
She twice won World Championships 4x400m silver, as well as a bronze in both the relay and 400m at the World Indoor Championships, and twice won 400m hurdles Diamond League silver.
In 2016, she was part of the GB women’s 4x400m relay team that won bronze at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In a Scotland vest, Eilidh won three 400m hurdles silver medals - in Delhi in 2010, Glasgow
in 2014, and Gold Coast, Australia, in 2018 - and, at the latter, she was chosen as Team Scotland’s flag bearer for the opening ceremony, becoming the first female to do so.
Another nominee with West Fife links, Alessia Palmieri, a former player and coach with Dunfermline Tennis Club, was named as a finalist in the Coach of the Year category, thanks to her work with Fossoway Tennis Club.
And cyclist Katie Archibald,
the partner of late Dunfermline cycling star, Rab Wardell, was also shortlisted in the sportscotland Sportswoman of the Year category.