The most decorated Scottish athlete at a single Commonwealth Games, Duncan Scott, has just been named the 2018 Scottish Sportsperson of the Year. At the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards that took place over the weekend, an event which celebrates the success of individuals, schools, clubs and teams across the whole of Scottish sport, 21-year-old Scott was also named ‘Male Athlete of the Year’ for the 2nd consecutive year.
Scott’s crowning achievement in a whirlwind summer included taking the 100m freestyle gold medal at the this year’s Commonwealth Games on the gold coast. Beating Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers on his home soil, Scott’s individual gold marked the first time a Scottish swimmer had ever won the event. He added an individual silver in the 200m IM, as well as bronze medals in the 200m free and 200m fly on the Gold Coast, while also racking up 3 relay medals.
Shortly afterward while competing at the 2018 European Championships in Glasgow, Scott snatched gold in the 200m freestyle, while also collecting silver in the 100m free. The versatile athlete was a critical component of the British men’s 4x200m free and 4x100m medley relays, which both won gold.
Having trained at the University of Stirling for several years, Scott’s coach Steven Tigg was named Coach of the Year. Tigg not only has been crucial in Scott’s development, but the coach has also guided Aimee Willmott to a 400m IM gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.
