Grainger is named Scottish Sportsperson of the Year

Katherine Grainger has been named the Scottish Sportsperson of the Year.  The three-times GB Olympic silver medallist received the Award, and the Emirates Lonsdale Trophy,  at a Commonwealth Games Scotland Award ceremony.
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In 2009 Grainger switched from the quadruple sculls, in which she won a silver medal at the Beijing Olympic Games, to the single scull. She produced an outstanding performance in the final of the 2009 World Championships in Poznan, Poland, to take a silver medal after just one season in the boat.

Grainger was previously part of the GB women’s quadruple scull that won successive world titles from 2005 – 2007. With Cath Bishop she also won world championships women’s pair  gold in 2003 in Milan, making her a four-times world champion to add to her three Olympic silvers and a world women’s eight bronze from 1997 – her international senior debut year and one in which she also took world U23 gold.

Within the GB Rowing Team, Grainger is renowned for her determination and drive in a career which reaches back to the time when she took up rowing for the first time in 1993.
 
Accepting the Award Katherine Grainger said: “The Commonwealth Games Awards dinner is always a wonderful celebration of Scottish sport, and I believe it is in great shape right now, with some fantastic performances across a range of sports. It is fabulous to win this award and it is the icing on the cake for my first season in the single scull. Many thanks to Emirates for their continued support.”
 
In second place was Andy Murray,  Britain’s number 1 ranked tennis player,  In third place was gymnast Daniel Keatings.  Completing an impressive short list was judo player Sarah Clark and swimmer Hannah Miley.
 
Announcing Grainger’s award Michael Cavanagh, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland said: “It is fantastic to see that in a traditionally quiet year between Olympic and Commonwealth Games that there are so many outstanding Scottish performances to choose from and many congratulations to all our nominees.
 
“However, Katherine’s determination to strive for Olympic gold in yet another discipline of her sport, despite having three silver medals in consecutive Olympics, is a credit to her absolute commitment to be the very best. The fact that she got onto the World Championship podium in her first season in the single scull is quite incredible. She is a great ambassador, an outstanding female role model and a truly worthy winner of the Emirates Lonsdale Trophy.”
 
Congratulating the winners, Conrad Clifford, Emirates’ Vice-President, UK & Ireland, said: “Emirates is very pleased to continue its support of The Lonsdale Trophy, and we would like to offer our warmest congratulations to Katherine Grainger MBE on being awarded ‘Scottish Sportsperson of the Year’ for the very first time in her career. As official partner of the Scottish Commonwealth Games Team, we are honoured to be associated with an event that acknowledges the achievements of elite Scottish athletes like Katherine, Andy, Daniel, Sarah and Hannah on this global stage.”