HERE COME THE GIRLS!

24th November 2008

Paula Radcliffe visited Scotland for the first time since her victory in the 2003 European Cross Country Championships last weekend (Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd November) and inspired a number of Scotland's top athletes ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in London and 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, but it was all about the girls on the night of the scottishathletics Annual Awards Dinner as the Bank of Scotland age-group Athlete of the Year Awards went to three of the top females in the sport in this country.

"The world will see Scotland at its best," Radcliffe said of the 2014 Games. "Scotland's athletes will be amazing. It's about creating memories and future success - the dream of winning on home soil can be so inspirational for those already involved while thousands more will learn to love the sport."

On Friday 21st November, the World marathon record holder and newly crowned ING New York City Marathon champion joined forces with Scotland's own distance running legend Liz McColgan, a former winner in New York City, to take part in an athlete Q&A session with members of McColgan's Bank of Scotland Endurance Squad before getting involved in a short practical session with the group at the Scottish Institute of Sport in Stirling.

Radcliffe admitted that as a junior McColgan had always been an inspiration to her and made time to speak with the younger athletes when they travelled as part of the Great Britain team. As the Q&A developed, it was clear that the pair shared many similar views; not least their revolutionary use of ice baths before the concept was scientifically proven to be beneficial.

On Saturday 22nd November Radcliffe joined up with Bank of Scotland National Squad and West Regional Squad athletes for a Q&A session in Glasgow before taking part in a training session with the group in Tollcross Park in the city.

Once again she described what it meant to her to compete in a major championships on home soil. "I had goose bumps walking up to the warm up area in the Manchester Commonwealth Games," she said.

Radcliffe's visit concluded with a short presentation as part of the scottishathletics 2014 seminar, which also marked the opening of the consultation period around the scottishathletics' six-year plan, on 'winning on home soil', prior to attending the scottishathletics Annual Awards Dinner, hosted by BBC Radio Scotland's Bryan Burnett, as guest of honour in the evening.

Winners on the night at the scottishathletics Annual Awards Dinner were as follows:

Scottish athletes achieving UK Power of 10 targets with a personal best performance:
Chris Bennett (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers); Eilidh Child (Pitreavie AAC); Lisa Glover (Edinburgh AC); Amanuel Hagus (Shettleston Harriers); Caitlyn Mackie (Pitreavie AAC); Lynsey Sharp (Edinburgh AC); Jamie Stevenson (Newham & Essex Beagles); Gemma Werrett (Rugby & Northampton AC);

Scottish records and GB selection bonuses:
Chris Bennett (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers)
Caitlyn Mackie (Pitreavie AAC)
Jamie Stevenson (Newham & Essex Beagles)

Clubs
Track and field: Edinburgh AC
Off track: Ron Hill Cambuslang
Junior club: Caithness AAC; Kilmarnock Harriers AC

Stewarts Scottish Road Race Grand Prix
Amanuel Hagus (Shettleston Harriers) - men's winner
Amleset Tewelde (Shettleston Harriers) - women's winner

Club Volunteer: Enid Johnston (Edinburgh AC)

Club Development: Jim Young (Kilmarnock Harriers)

Officials
Newcomer to Officiating: Rob Dalziel (Law & District AAC)
Off track: Alex Jackson (Ferranti AAC)
Track and field: Liz Wilder (Victoria Park City of Glasgow)
DM Hall Service to Officiating/UKA Service to Officiating: Pat Hockley (Livingston & District AAC)

Teams/Partnerships
Local Authority: Dundee City Council
Athletics Partnerships: East Ayrshire Athletics Partnership

Honorary Life Members
Leslie Roy (Victoria Park City of Glasgow)
James Young (Kilmarnock Harriers)
Sandy Robertson (Troon Tortoises)

Tom Stillie Award
Marjory Cook (Edinburgh AC)

Dallas Trust Award
Angela Mudge (Carnethy HRC)

jogscotland Awards
jogscotland Achiever of the Year: David Whyte
jogscotland Leader of the Year: Stephen Bruce
jogscotland Group of the Year: jogscotland Peterhead

Coaching
Participation Coach: Janice Hendrie (Inverclyde AC)
Performance Coach: Stuart Hogg
Podium Coach: Llona Melounova
Coaching Development: Sandy Robertson

Masters Athlete of the Year: Darren Scott (Trafford AC)

Disability Athlete of the Year: Libby Clegg (Edinburgh AC)

Lifetime Achievement: Barry Craighead (Edinburgh AC)

Bank of Scotland under-17 Athlete of the Year: Myra Perkins (Falkirk Victoria Harriers)
Bank of Scotland under-20 Athlete of the Year: Lynsey Sharp (Edinburgh AC)
Bank of Scotland under-23 Athlete of the Year: Eilidh Child (Pitreavie AAC)

Puma Athlete of the Year: Allan Scott (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers)

Picture: Lynsey Sharp, Myra Perkins, Paula Radcliffe, Eilidh Child and Karen Tighe (Bank of Scotland) - courtesy of ABAL STUDIOS