Team Scotland and sportscotland are delighted to reveal the finalists for The Scottish Sports Awards 2024.
The Scottish Sports Awards 2024 will bring together the country’s top athletes, clubs, governing bodies, organisations and community heroes to recognise and honour the achievements and contribution to Scottish sport.
It’s been another fantastic year of sport with plenty to celebrate, from Scottish athlete success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, to schools, clubs, community projects and key people who continue to make a difference to sport in Scotland.
The winners in the Female, Male, Para Female, and Para Male categories will contest for the overall title of Scotland’s Sportsperson of the Year and the evening will also welcome the latest inductees to the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame - Dame Katherine Grainger DBE, Colin Montgomerie OBE and Jim Anderson OBE.
The Scottish Sports Hall of Fame was established in 2002 to recognise and honour the many great champions this country has produced. It has delivered on that ambition, enabling us to celebrate the achievements of Scotland’s finest athletes and role models and the impact they have had on subsequent generations.
The Hall of Fame stands as a tribute to the champions of the past. The Scottish Sports Hall of Fame is now incorporated into The Scottish Sports Awards.
Former Scottish footballer and ambassador for women’s football in Scotland, Julie Fleeting MBE and Kingussie shinty star Ronald Ross MBE (the most successful player in the sport’s history) were inducted in 2023. For more details on the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame and the inductees you can visit the Hall of Fame website.
The Scottish Sports Awards 2024 will take place on Wednesday 4 December 2024 at the Glasgow Science Centre & IMAX where a fantastic year of achievement will be honoured on the biggest screen in Scotland. Guests will be treated to a night of celebration, food and drinks as well as rubbing shoulders with the great and the good of Scottish Sport.
Shortlist
Moment of the Year sponsored by the University of Edinburgh (voting closed Monday 4 November)
- Glasgow Warriors Winning BKT United Rugby Championship (Rugby)
- Jasmin Paris MBE completing the 100-mile Barkley Marathons (Ultra Running)
- Sir Andy Murray’s come back Olympic doubles moment (Tennis)
- Scott Brash MBE jumping clear to bring Olympic Team Showjumping gold (Equestrian)
- Ben Sandilands’ world record breaking run to win Paralympic 1500m gold (Para Athletics)
- Josh Kerr winning gold in front of home crowd at World Indoor Championships in Glasgow (Athletics)
- Gordon Reid OBE winning Paralympics wheelchair tennis gold with Alfie Hewett after silver in 2016 and 2021 (Wheelchair Tennis)
- Robert MacIntyre's Scottish Open victory (Golf)
Female Athlete of the Year
Finalists: Kathryn Bryce (Cricket), Neah Evans (Cycling), Beth Potter (Triathlon)
Male Athlete of the Year
Finalists: Jack Carlin (Cycling), Robert MacIntyre (Golf), Duncan Scott MBE (Swimming)
Para Female Athlete of the Year
Finalists: Hope Gordon (Canoeing), Samantha Kinghorn MBE (Athletics), Faye Rogers (Swimming)
Para Male Athlete of the Year
Finalists: Stephen Clegg (Swimming), Fin Graham (Cycling), Stephen McGuire (Boccia)
Team of the Year
Finalists: Celtic Women’s Football Club (Football), Glasgow Warriors (Rugby), Scotland Women’s Cricket Team (Cricket)
Young Athlete of the Year
Finalists: Erin Boothman (Cycling), Aidan Lennan (Kickboxing), Nayma Sheikh (Cricket)
Erin Boothman: A remarkable 17-year-old endurance cyclist who has made waves in the sport by becoming a double World Junior champion in 2024. After dominating the British Youth and Junior Track Championships, Erin showcased her incredible talent on the world stage in China, where she and her GB teammates set a new world record in the Team Pursuit, earning the prestigious rainbow jersey. Just days later, she added another world title in the Madison.
Aidan Lennan: First selected for team GB in 2019 when he was 11 years old, Aidan went to Hungary for the European Championships where he came back with a bronze medal. In 2022 He qualified to represent GB at the World Championships in Italy, winning double World Champion on his 15th birthday. Since then, Aidan has dominated the sport for the last 2 years, winning WAKO European Champion in Turkey in 2023.
Nayma Sheikh: Nayma, a standout player for the Scotland National Women’s Squad, made history by helping the team qualify for the World Cup for the first time ever in 2024. As the only player to participate in all three World Cup qualifiers, Nayma has showcased her exceptional talent, becoming the highest wicket-taker and run-scorer in the Women’s Premier League this season with over 600 runs and 52 wickets, including a stunning 100 not out and a Player of the Match performance with 4 wickets for just 14 runs.
Coach of the Year
Finalists: Ally Jack (Volleyball), Claire Morrison (Boccia), Steven Tigg (Swimming)
Ally Jack: As Head Coach of the U20 Men’s volleyball team, Ally has not only guided his athletes to Scotland’s first-ever European Championship Finals but has also established a comprehensive junior national team pathway that emphasizes both on-court skills and vital off-court learnings. He empowers young athletes to overcome challenges, making a lasting impact on their lives both in and out of sport.
Claire Morrison: A dedicated coach, Claire has guided numerous boccia players, including Paralympians Scott and Jamie McCowan, Stephen McGuire, and Kayleigh Haggo, to international success. Claire's commitment extends beyond coaching as she actively promotes boccia at domestic events, develops educational resources for schools, and empowers retired athletes to continue contributing to the sport.
Steve Tigg: This year, eight of Steve’s swimmers qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics, including Duncan Scott, who became Scotland’s most decorated Olympian with his gold and silver medals. As a key member of the Team GB coaching staff, Steve has played a vital role in their success and has recently been appointed Head Coach at GB Aquatics.
Scottish Governing Body Award
Finalists: Scottish Athletics, Scottish Disability Sport, Judo Scotland
Scottish Athletics: Over the past 12 months, club membership in athletics in Scotland has grown by 3% and is on track to go above 18,000 for the first time. Key partnerships, including the successful hosting of the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, have strengthened community engagement and mental health initiatives, while the extension of the groundbreaking collaboration with Scottish Action for Mental Health has fostered inclusive jogging groups.
Scottish Disability Sport: With a focus on intersectionality, Scottish Disability Sport has ensured that 60% of its board is female and 40% have disabilities, while also engaging 43% of Parasport Festival participants from the most deprived areas. Their innovative programs, have transformed lives, encouraging inactive individuals to become active and, showcasing the profound impact of sport on health and well-being.
Judo Scotland: This past year, JudoScotland launched the Senpai Programme for Young Leaders and hosted engaging events like Keizoku, introducing over 200 children to the sport. With a remarkable 9% increase in membership and impactful collaborations to promote adaptive judo and female participation, JudoScotland is truly shaping the future of judo in Scotland.
Club Sport Award
Finalists: Carrick Rugby Club, North Ayrshire Table Tennis Club, Passion4Fusion
Carrick Rugby Club: Working hard to ensure rugby is accessible to the entire community, Carrick Rugby Club, provides free holiday programmes with food for all participants, free transport to club sessions and reduced or free memberships where required. Pupils have improved their attendance at school knowing they get to train with the rugby coaches and reap the physical and psychological health benefits of being more active.
North Ayrshire Table Tennis Club: In 20 years, North Ayrshire Table Tennis Club has gone from a one-table, wooden-hut dream to Scotland’s biggest and most successful table tennis club. A community treasure with members from seven years old to 92, the club caters for all abilities, from beginners to the country’s most elite players, with 52 tables across eight different centres in the region.
Passion4Fusion: An inspiring force within Scotland’s sporting community, Passion4Fusion delivers positive change by empowering young people, particularly those from ethnically diverse communities through sports like football, basketball and running, fostering a sense of community, making a lasting difference. With weekly participation from over 300 young people aged 6-18, the programme continues to reach full capacity, reflecting the high demand and value it brings to these communities.
School Sport Award
Finalists: Denbeath Primary School, Lochies School, Newbattle High School
Denbeath Primary School: With Over 90% of school roll in SIMD 1 Denbeath Primary School create opportunities for pupils to engage in a variety of activities at all age-groups and deliver an alternative curriculum, using sport, to targeted pupils to improve attendance. The children have demonstrated teamwork, resilience, sportsmanship, perseverance and leadership, and the school recognise the benefits to health and wellbeing, not only physically but also so socially and emotionally.
Lochies School: Children who attend Lochies School have a range of complex additional support needs. At Lochies, sport is an integral part of the curriculum and their innovative approach to inclusion is evident. No matter the learning style or barriers of the young people, they will find a sporting option to suit them.
Newbattle High School: Young Ambassadors in Newbattle High School have been integral to school sport and physical activity delivery which has helped result in an 80% increase in extra-curricular participation over the last 18 months. This included the implementation of the Sports Personality Awards , a ‘Give it a Go’ week to give students, and school staff, the opportunity to see all of the sporting activities on offer at the school, and introducing the ‘Kit for All’ initiative.
Community Hero Award
Finalists: Amanda Fleet, David Jarvis, Lauren Deacon
Amanda Fleet: As the Director of EDI for both Scottish ClubSport and HorseScotland, Amanda shapes strategies that place EDI at the forefront of their missions. Amanda also mentors young women in sport, volunteers with LEAP Sports to break down barriers for the LGBT+ community, and played a pivotal role in launching the Qeltic Games, a groundbreaking multi-sport tournament.
David Jarvis: Overcoming life-changing injuries and a diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes, David not only won gold in the Men’s Cycling Time Trial at the 2023 Invictus Games but also transformed his journey into a source of inspiration for others. Through his efforts in local schools and the establishment of an inclusive cycling club, along with innovative projects like a cycling tool station, David has ignited a passion for cycling in Aberdeenshire.
Lauren Deacon: A dynamic leader and one of Scotland’s youngest female community sport chairpersons, Lauren has fostered an inclusive environment, launching Scotland’s first recreational netball league, which has grown from 5 to 16 teams and engages over 1,500 participants. Her commitment to developing umpires and coaches, along with her successful fundraising efforts, exemplifies her passion to create lasting opportunities for everyone in the netball community.
Sustainability in Scottish Sport Award
Finalists: Melissa Wilson, Paddle Scotland, University of Edinburgh Sport
Melissa Wilson: A former Great Britain rower and three-time World Championship finalist, Melissa has transformed her passion for the environment into action, founding Athletes of the World, empowering athletes as sustainability advocates. Her impactful initiatives, including a powerful letter signed by over 320 Olympians and a compelling video for COP26, have inspired millions to engage in climate action through the lens of sport.
Paddle Scotland: Grandtully Station Park project is a remarkable sustainable multi-sport hub that has transformed a former railway station into an environmentally friendly facility. With a commitment to Net Zero, this £1.5 million redevelopment features cutting-edge green technologies, including solar panels and heat pumps, and offers accessible camping facilities for all. The site is located centrally to where most activities and courses in a variety of outdoor sports in Scotland take place, adjacent to the River Tay.
University of Edinburgh Sport: The Universities Wild Peffermill project is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at regenerating nature and biodiversity at the Peffermill playing fields, enhancing the experience of students, staff, and local communities. With over 100 trees planted to kick off this vision, the project exemplifies the university’s commitment to sustainability and climate resilience, paving the way for a greener future.
Find out more
- 2024 Scottish Sports Awards Tickets - Purchase (eventsair.com)
- About Scottish Sports Awards 2024 - Team Scotland
- See winners from last year's awards 2023 Winners: The Scottish Sports Awards 2023
- Three New Hall of Fame Inductees - Sport First
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