Falkirk Sports Council

 Sports Personality Awards 2001

 24th April 2001    Falkirk Town Hall

 

Disability Award

 

In the past we have referred to this as the endeavour award, but we have altered the name in order to prevent some of the confusion that we have seen in some awards forms and also to acknowledge the great advances made with disabled sports in recent years. As anyone who watched the Special Olympics in Sydney can testify, disabled sports can be as entertaining and hard fought as any others. This year for the first time we have also split this award, giving an individual and a team award. Perhaps in future years the number of nominations will be such that we need a junior and senior award here too.

 

Firstly the team award. 

 

Carrongrange is a brand new school, taking the place of the old Dawson Park, but its boys’ football team have helped to publicise its name early on in its life. As part of the Millennium celebrations the BAA youth games took place all over the country with a final in Southampton. In the learning disability section, this team won all of their games at the Scottish Heats in Edinburgh, this despite the fact that it was their first big competition and that only 2 of the 8 boys had played in football team before they came together. At the British finals the came 3rd, losing in the semi finals to the eventual winners. I am pleased to say that the team still trains together and this year they plan to contest the Scottish Disability Sport 11 and 5 a side competitions.

 

The disability team award goes to Carrongrange Boys Football Team

 

The individual award goes to a skier. At the Special Olympics national ski championships at the Lecht, he took gold medals in the Slalom, Giant Slalom and Downhill races. He not only competes but also is very helpful to other, less able, skiers.

 

The individual award goes to Frank McGuire

 

 

 

Veteran Award

 

This is another category where the standard of competition gets higher every year we judge it. The winner had another highly successful year with yet another world title, as well as British and Scottish honours. At the World Veterans Road Race championships in Spain, she won the W50 10k title in a time of 34 minutes and 34 seconds – that is a time that many people half her age would be extremely proud of. She also took gold at the British Veterans cross country international in Ireland and helped her club to medal success in the national cross country relay championships.

 

The winner of the veteran award is Janette Stevenson

 

Service to Sport

 

The service to sport award goes to a man who has given over 30 years service to teaching martial arts, and who over that period has influence many students from many walks of life and nationalities. He began his karate training in the mid 1960’s and gained his black belt in 1969. In 1970 he was approached by Stirling University to set up a club on campus, and from that beginning Sen-no-kai karate have clubs in Polmont, Lauriston and Slamannan. In recognition of his services, Stirling University last month awarded him and honorary Master of Arts degree.

 

The winner of the service to sport award is William Clark

Club Award

 

Another fantastic year of success for this club, who compete in the sport of tug-of war. At the UK indoor championships, they took gold at 600kg and 680 kg. At the world championships in Holland. They took gold in the 640kg class, and bronze medals at 560kg, 600kg and 680 kg.

 

In the year that tug of war has been recognised by the International Olympic committee, the club will be sending a number of members to compete for the national squad in the World Games in Japan

 

The winners of the club award are Bo’ness Tug of War

 

 

 

Team Award

 

The winners of the team award have had a fantastic first year of competition. Firstly at the British Championships they took the silver medal, but then found that, in doing so, they had qualified for the European championships. Some of the team members, who had never represented Scotland before, now found themselves being measured up for Great Britain tracksuits. They acquitted themselves with distinction at the Europeans, eventually finishing in 11th place, beating the British Champions in the process.

 

The winners to the team award are Falkirk team gym

 

 


Junior Award

 

This award is for under 14 years old, but given the age of the 3rd place winner, we might have to consider an under 10 category in future. A young golfer, he hit his first hole in one at age 7 and now can regularly beat 100 round an 18-hole course.

 

3rd place goes to Lyle Stewart

 

In second place is a young lady who was probably even younger than Lyle when she got her first scroll award. A Scottish Internationalist in the sport of show jumping, she won three gold, 3 silver and one bronze medal riding for her country last year. She was the 128cm winner at the Millennium Grand Prix in Essex, was the 128cm rider of the year at the Pony of the Year in Buckinghamshire as well as winning over 60 first place results over the last year.

 

2nd place goes to Jemma Kirk.

 

The winner of the U14 award is an excellent all round athlete. In the past year he won Scottish titles in the U13 indoor long jump, outdoor long jump and outdoor 75 metres hurdles. He won the latter title in a time of 12.3 seconds, which saw him as the top ranked athlete in his age group in Britain. He also won the Scottish title in the indoor pentathlon (hurdles, shot putt, long jump, high jump & 800m) and was 2nd in the outdoor even, with a point’s total that ranked him third in Britain at that event.

 

The winner of the U14 title is Christopher Douglas

 


Junior Award

 

Every year this is the toughest to category to judge. This year we have British champions, Scottish record holders and more. So difficult was the judging that we have a joint third place:

 

Firstly we have a British champion in the sport of Judo, which she added to her U16 Scottish title. She is a member of the British Judo Council Squad, the Scottish elite squad and the British Schools squad. Of particular note were that she was one of the youngest people in Scotland to achieve her black belt. She also won a silver medal in the mini Olympiad in France despite taking part at two weights above her normal weight.

 

In joint third is Jayne Clason

 

Also in joint third is another British champion, this time in the sport of Canoeing. He forms one half of the British and Scottish J16 C2 slalom team along with his brother Andrew and also competes solo where he is the Scottish and British C1 champion too. He has represented Scotland and Britain at national and international level receiving a 1st, 2nd and 1st team run while competing for GB in the Czech republic.

 

In joint third is Adam Marshall

 

In second place is another athlete, this time a Scottish U17 champion in the pole vault, winning both the indoor and outdoor titles. He was second in the AAA’s championships in Birmingham. He set Scottish age group records both indoors and outdoors, clearing 4m 20cm at an international in Belgium in August.

 

In second place is Richard Hurren

 

 With such a talented group at this age, the winner had to produce something pretty special. The Commonwealth Youth Games were held in Edinburgh in August and Scotland managed to win three gold medals, two of them in the Gymnastics Hall. The first of these was won on vault by this young lady, who beat a top class field from all over the Commonwealth, in addition to her 6th place overall, the best ever by a Scottish Gymnast at a Commonwealth Games. She is the senior Scottish woman’s gymnast winning the overall title last year and adding all of the individual apparatus medal to go with it.

 

The winner of the U18 title is Gayle Campbell

 


Senior Award

 

In third place is a Scottish International bowler, who now has over 40 caps for her country, and was skip of the Scottish rink that won the international series in Wales in April last year.

 

In third place is Elizabeth Wren

 

 

In second place is the winner of our veteran’s award. Her nomination form said that 2000 was a ‘quiet’ year for her, yet it’s worth noting that no only did she win the W50 10k road race title, but she actually finished second overall in that race, ahead of many younger athletes.

 

In second place is Janette Stevenson.

 

The winner of the senior award is a Commonwealth Games veteran, the captain of the Scottish team that won the Home Countries International Air Rifle match and a member of the Scotland team that won the Home Counties International 3 positions championship with a new Scottish Record. At the same meeting, he was a member of the team that won the British Club championship in a new British record.

 

His individual performances were also strong, winning medals in air rifle individual and pairs events at the Commonwealth shooting Federation championships in the Isle of Man.

 

The winner of the senior award is Donald McIntosh

 

 


Scottish Service to Sport Award

 

There have been few more worthy winners of this award than the recipient. He is a man who has dedicated countless time an effort to sport, not just to one sport, but to sport in general. He is a man passionate about sport and to the ordinary grass roots sportsmen and woman.

 

He was one of the founders of Falkirk Sports Council and served as secretary, treasurer and the conscience for many years. He was the manager of Grangemouth Sports complex, and a driving force behind so many initiatives.

 

At an age when most people would be happy to spectate from their armchairs, ne is a well-known face in both Scottish and British Veteran Athletics and has won many medals in both indoor and outdoor track and field championships at both Scottish and British levels. He competes at all distances from 400m up to half marathon with the same enthusiasm and commitment that he has shown to everything he has ever been involved with.

 

He regularly finishes in times that would be a credit to athletes half of his age – performances that are the result of hard work in training, where he is an example to all, no matter what sport they compete in and what they have achieved.

 

The world would have been a much poorer and less interesting place had be not devoted the time enthusiasm and energy that he has for so many years.

 

I am delighted to announce the winner of the Scottish Service to Sport award as Mr Hugh McGinlay. 

 

Page updated on 21/07/01