Scottish sporting excellence will be celebrated at the Sunday Mail and sportscotland Scottish Sports Awards in December, and Stirling swimming star Duncan Scott could be in the running for glory once again.
Now in its 13th year, the annual event, which is sponsored by sportscotland the national agency for sport – celebrates the heroes throughout Scottish sport by awarding our sportsmen, women, teams and volunteers for their outstanding achievements in 2019.
Among those who could be in contention is World, Olympic, Commonwealth and European champion Duncan Scott who has made an impact on the world stage, enjoying another outstanding year in the pool.
Scotland’s Sports Personality of the Year for 2018, Duncan has since picked up gold and bronze medals at the 2019 World Championships in South Korea, winning a raft of new admirers in the process.
The 22-year-old athlete has been supported by the sportscotland institute of sport in Stirling since he was a teenager and says it continues to play an important role in his development.
A part-time student at the University of Stirling, Duncan says this ongoing guidance helps contribute to the 1 per cent margins that matter.
He said: "At the top of any sport, it’s the small margins that make the difference, especially in swimming, where 0.5 of a second can separate the whole field.
"Swimming is very much an individual sport, but at the same time it’s not. To better yourself, you need to go that little bit further, but you also need people who look at things in a different way and I’m lucky enough to have that at the sportscotland institute of sport."
This support played a key role in a spectacularly successful 2019 for Duncan, which follows unforgettable medal wins at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia and the Glasgow 2018 European Championships.
Already a world champion and a winner at last year’s Sunday Mail and sportscotland Scottish Sports Awards, Duncan could certainly have a place on the short list for the 2019 awards.
Wheelchair curler David Mulrose who trains in Stirling could also be in with a chance of award glory.
Recognition would be the result of a long and painful journey for the former fire fighter, who took up curling after his back was broken by a falling steel beam.
After lengthy rehabilitation, David was picked for the British Curling Paralympic Performance Programme at the National Curling Academy in Stirling.
David earned his first cap for Scotland in March 2019, clinching silver at the World Curling Championships in Stirling.
He said: "Winning silver at my first Worlds was epic and at the same time surreal. It was like being in a bubble; everything around you is to help you perform at your best, but when it works and you’re winning you realise what it means, not just to you but to the spectators willing you to win."
Stirling’s National Curling Academy has helped David achieve those successful performances.
David said: "The NCA has definitely had a dramatic impact on my career.
"As well as being a world class venue, the technology is state-of-the-art, which benefits each player. They can break down your
delivery style in minute detail to help analysis and spot delivery faults.
"Being able to play on ice that’s been specially prepared by the tech team is also a big help, the guys really try to help us understand the surface and the way they prep it."
This support has opened up a world of potential for David and helped him finally start to think of himself as a bona fide sportsman.
The curler explained: "It’s taken me some time to realise that I am a full-time athlete and everything that that involves."
Chair of sportscotland, Mel Young, said: "It has been another fantastic year for sport in Scotland.
"Scottish athletes continue to shine on the world stage and there is terrific work being done by the sporting community across the country to increase the opportunities for as many people as possible to take part in sport.
"It is wonderful to have another chance to recognise such dedicated and hard-working people alongside Scotland’s elite athletes."
