Olympian and Commonwealth Games record breaker Duncan Scott has retained his Sportsman of the Year title at the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Awards.
The University of Stirling swimmer was recognised at a virtual ceremony on Tuesday evening for his outstanding performances over the past year. It is the second consecutive year that Scott has won the award, which celebrates the domestic or international success of a student studying at a BUCS member institution, recognising the highest possible standard of competition achieved.
Scott, 23, was up against Matthew Brigham, a rower from the University of Leeds, and Stefano Lucchetti, a fencer from the University of Nottingham.
The award was announced on social media by Welsh international rugby player Aaron Wainwright who said: “I am delighted to be here to be able to present one of the most prestigious sporting awards of all – the Sportsman of the Year. For the second year in a row, the winner is Duncan Scott from the University of Stirling.
“Across BUCS short and long-course championships, Duncan won 12 medals including 11 golds and breaking two Scottish records in the process. He also won two World Championship medals and took home five medals at the British Championships, as well as breaking the 100-metre freestyle record.
“It is impossible to ignore the success that Duncan has had this year and I am sure we all look forward to watching him in the pool next year at the Tokyo Olympics.”
Honour
Scott said: “I am delighted and humbled to receive the BUCS Sportsman of the Year award for the second year in a row. There’s a wealth of sporting talent from UK universities competing at the highest level and it’s an honour to be recognised among those.
“This award also recognises all of those who support me both in and out of the pool – my friends, family and the coaches and staff at the University of Stirling, British Swimming and Scottish Swimming. It is a great way to end a successful year – and we’re now focused on preparing for our 2021 events, including the World Championships and Olympics in Japan.”
The BUCS Awards covered the period from May 1, 2019 until April 30 this year and included Scott's impressive performances at the BUCS Short Course and Long Course Championships. It also included his World Championship gold (men’s medley relay) and bronze (individual 200m freestyle) medals for Team GB in Gwangju, Korea. It comes just weeks after Scott set British records in the 200m freestyle, with a time of 1:40:76, and the 200m individual medley (1:51:85) at the International Swimming League in Budapest.
Steven Tigg, Head Performance Swimming Coach at the University of Stirling, said: “Duncan has been competing at the highest level for the past six years and it is testament to his hard work and dedication to his sport that he continues to go from strength to strength. For Duncan to retain his BUCS Sportsman of the Year award is an outstanding achievement and reflects his continued success in the pool and we are all looking forward to seeing him compete in Tokyo next summer.”
Congratulations
Cathy Gallagher, Executive Director of Sport at the University of Stirling, said: “From everyone at the University, I would like to congratulate Duncan on yet another first-place finish.
“Duncan continues to lead the field at the highest level of his sport and his accomplishments reflect his continued efforts to the best athlete he can be, his commitment, discipline and resilience.
“Duncan is supported by a recently redeveloped world-class training environment here at the University of Stirling – Scotland’s University of Sporting Excellence and UK Sports University of the Year 2020. Our performance swimming programme is led by Steven Tigg and his team and they too should be proud of this award as it provides further recognition of their hard work behind the scenes.”
Celebrations
BUCS Chief Executive Officer Vince Mayne said: “Our season may have been cut short, but all your achievements will be recognised and celebrated. Student athletes, both individuals and teams, have excelled in their respective sporting endeavours, whilst volunteers and administrators have gone above and beyond to progress the sporting provision of their institution or of sport in the higher education sector. BUCS Awards will celebrate the positive effect of student sport, the students who participate and the wider sporting sector in the UK.”
The University of Stirling is The Times / Sunday Times Good University Guide’s UK Sports University of the Year 2020 and has held the designation of Scotland’s University of Sporting Excellence since 2008. It has recently renewed its world-class Sports Centre with a £20 million redevelopment.