Two-time silver medalist at the 2016 Olympic Games, Duncan Scott, has been honored with Team Scotland’s ‘Male Athlete of the Year Award’. During the annual Team Scotland sports award ceremony in Edinburgh yesterday, September 21st, the 20-year-old versatile swimmer beat out professional tennis player Andy Murray, boxer Josh Taylor and distance runner Callum Hawkins to take home the prestigious award.
Scott was the winner of the Sir Peter Heatly Trophy for the Young Athlete of the Year in 2015 and was up for the Male Athlete of the Year Award last year, but Murray was ultimately bestowed the honors.
Along with his relay silvers at the 2016 Olympic Games, Duncan scored a surprise spot in the men’s 100m freestyle final in Rio where he wound up 5th. More recently at the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest, Scott was a member of Great Britain’s gold medal-winning men’s 4x200m freestyle relay, while also contributing to the nation’s silver medal-garnering performance in the 4x100m medley relay. Individually, Scott finished 4th in a stacked men’s 200m freestyle field, while also earning 5th place in the 100m freestyle in Budapest.
Scott’s coaches at the University of Stirling, Steven Tigg and Ben Higson (who has since moved on to Swim Ireland), were nominated in the ‘Coach of the Year’ category, a trophy the pair was awarded with last year. For 2017 the award went to Scottish Athletics coach Andy Young.
Versatile Scott was just named to Scotland’s roster for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the swimmer’s next major international event at which his trajectory indicates he will break through in a big way.
A phenomenal year with World Championship gold and silver – @dunks_scott is your #TeamScotAwards Male Athlete of the Year! pic.twitter.com/j1IWo4zk2Y
— Team Scotland (@Team_Scotland) September 21, 2017
He was the only swimmer to make the final of both the 100 and 200 free at the WCs in Budapest. That’s says a lot right there about his world-class ability.
He was just hundredths away from a individual medal in the 200 free. He has some relay medals, so maybe an individual medal is what’s next for Duncan.
While that’s true, Haas and probably Dressel could have finaled in both.
Cam McEvy finaled in both in Kazan and won a medal there.