Champs make it a glam slam
Clydesdale Sports Council held their 39th Sports Personality and Team of the Year Awards at the Cornhill Castle Hotel in Biggar earlier this month.
The awards recognised significant sporting achievements throughout 2022.
Gents’ sports personality of the year was bowls star Garry Brown, who in April won the Scottish Para-indoor Singles Bowls Championships at Falkirk for the fifth time in seven years.
Among other achievements, he represented Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, helping to win the first lawn bowls gold medal of the Games.
Runner-up was athlete James Mcclafferty. Ladies’ sports personality of the year was Biggar Rugby Club star Emma Orr, who helped the club win the Regional League and gain promotion to the National League.
Emma was selected for Scotland for the Six Nations Championship and starred for Scotland in the World Sevens Series, leading to the Commonwealth Games and World Cup.
She now plays for Edinburgh Premiership side Heriot’s.
Runner-up was Law and District AAC athlete Leah Keisler.
Junior female sports personality of the year was Evi Mackie, of Lanark Amateur Swimming Club, who won an array of medals and national titles, including triple gold at the South Lanarkshire Schools’ Swimming Championships, which saw her selected for the Scottish National youth squad, competing at the GB Inter-counties Championships.
Throughout 2022, Evi won 23 West District
Championship titles.
Runners-up were athletes Emma Clark and Jessica Inglis.
Junior male sports personality of the year was athlete Kyle Ferguson, who won gold in discus and silver in shot put at the West District Championships in Kilmarnock.
Kyle won bronze in shot put at the Scottish Indoor Championships at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow.
Runners-up were Lanark AAC swimmer Craig Shaw and athlete Ross Ferguson in third place.
Junior team of the year was Law and District AAC’S women’s under-17 relay team, who won team gold at the Scottish Indoor Championships at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena in February, and a bronze and team gold at the Scottish Championships at Grangemouth in September.
Runner-up was Biggar Rugby Club’s girls’ under-18s team.
Senior team of the year was Biggar Rugby Club’s ladies’ 1st XV, who won the Regional League and gained promotion to the National League via play-offs, where they have continued to do well, finishing second.
Runner-up was Law and District AAC’S under-20s women’s relay team.
Coach of the year was won by Mhairi Lake, who has helped transform Biggar Netball Club from a junior outfit to one with several sections and three locations within Clydesdale.
Mhairi was also selected as Lanarkshire (North and South) District coach for under15s, and was recognised at the Scottish Women in Sports Awards 2022 as the coach of the year.
Runner-up was athletics coach Eddie Mcquillan.
Sporting primary school of the year was won by Biggar Primary School, who host a variety of sport-specific and physical activity clubs before school, at interval, lunchtimes and after school.
Young volunteer of the year was Kirsty Clay of Clydesdale Netball Club, who among other things gives up her Sundays to support coaches at the club’s mini section.
Runner-up was Law and District AAC’S Lucy Mccormack.
Volunteer of the year was won by Karen Gillon of Law and District AAC, who has been with the club for 10 years, and is current chairperson.
Runner-up was April Forrest of Clydesdale Netball Club.
A special award was won by Millar Stoddart for his outstanding services to sport and the voluntary sector.
Mr Stoddart formed Clydesdale Sports Council in 1982 and instigated these awards a year later, and held many roles within organisations throughout Clydesdale.
Veteran of the year was athlete Fiona Steele, who won gold in 200m and silver in 60m at the Scottish Masters Indoor Championships in Glasgow.
Fiona also won gold in 200m at the British Masters Championships in June, in the same month as she set two new Scottish records at the World Masters Championships in Finland.
Football coach Gus Mackay won the sportscotland services to sport award, having been at Symington Tinto since 1975, and held posts within the Scottish FA.