Eve Muirhead has been announced as Sports Personality of the Year in the 2022 Perth and Kinross Sports Awards held on Friday 3 March at Perth Art Gallery, George Street, Perth.

The Awards, in partnership with Perth and Kinross Sports Council, and now in their 33rd year, recognise the achievements of athletes, volunteers and clubs from across Perth and Kinross.

Phil Coleman, Community Sport and Partnership Manager from Live Active Leisure commented:

“It was an absolute honor to announce Eve as the winner of Sports Personality of the Year 2022. She is an outstanding athlete, having led the Great Britain team to Gold at the Beijing Olympic Winter Games (GB’s only Gold medal of the Games). Although we miss Eve on the curling world stage now she has retired from curling, we are proud she ended her career as a current Olympic, World and European Champion and as such, Eve is a fantastic choice of overall winner in our celebration of local sporting talent.”

The evening highlighted the many incredible sporting achievements from local athletes, as well as the phenomenal effort volunteers, coaches and club officers contribute to our wonderful sporting landscape that is thriving once more.

Phil Coleman continued:

Once again, the caliber of our finalists was extremely high and each category proved to be very competitive. The event highlighted the outstanding achievements of our local athletes and the unwavering commitment of our coaches, volunteers and sporting organisations. We were delighted to return for a second year to Perth Art Gallery to welcome guests and finalists and celebrate our winners. We look forward to another wonderful year of exceptional local sport in 2023.

THE WINNERS OF THE 2022 AWARDS

1. Volunteer of the Year

Susan Whiteford BEM, Blairgowrie

Susan uses sport as a vehicle to improve people’s lives and she has a passion for breaking down barriers and making sport more accessible to all. Susan runs the Blairgowrie Hockey and Tennis club. She is the Eastern Perthshire Community Sports Hub Treasurer and is a mentor for the Blairgowrie High School Motivation, Commitment and Resilience pathway, involving 1:1 work with young people. Susan delivered free hockey and tennis sessions to all 10 schools in the Blairgowrie cluster and used her knowledge of tennis and hockey to deliver training for local teachers about developing motor skills. Susan also runs a tennis programme for adults to help improve mental health which is part of PKAVS’ Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub.

2. School Team of the Year

Strathallan S3 Netball Team

Strathallan School students had an incredible year, ending the season as National U14 Netball Champions in the Netball Scotland Scottish Schools Cup. After a nail-biting final at the Emirates Arena, the team beat St Ninian’s, winning 22 goals to 21. The team also won all 8 fixtures this season, scoring an impressive 210 goals. Four of the team are now playing competitively for Perth & Kinross district and one player has gone on to represent Scotland at the UK school games last August.

Co-Captain Flora R, said: “Winning the Scottish Cup and being co-captain of the team has definitely been my best achievement at Strathallan so far. I am glad I am part of such a great team, and we couldn’t have done it without each other. I look forward to playing more netball and improving with the team in future seasons.”

3. Chuck Hay Team of the Year

Meigle Cricket Club

Meigle men's 1st team had an incredible 2022, bouncing back to the Cricket Scotland Premiership at the first attempt, winning a trio of honours: Breedon SPCU Northeast Championship winners, Voneous Broadband Scottish Village Cup Champions (for a third successive time) and Cricket Scotland Eastern Premier League promotion play off winners.

4. Young Sports Personality of the Year

Connor Graham – Golf

In 2022 Connor ranked 9th place on the European Golf Rankings as an U18. He competed in 12 tournaments and had 5 top 10 finishes, with highlights being 1st Place at the R&A Junior Open Championship shooting 3 rounds under 70 to win 2nd Place at the Lytham Trophy and 3rd place at the Scottish Boys Open Championships. Connor also played in the Dunhill Links Pro-Am event with partner Finnish Pro Golfer Sami Valimaki in the team event.

5. Veteran Sports Personality of the Year

Andrew Brown - Fencing

Andrew competes in the veteran over 70s Epee and made his competitive debut for Scotland in the Scottish Veterans Team for the Quad where the team narrowly lost to England in a 45-44 final. In August 2022 Andrew traveled to London to compete in the Commonwealth Fencing Championships, where he won Gold in the Veteran Men’s Epee (70+ age category).

6. Disability Sports Personality of the Year

Matthew Doig - Athletics

Matthew has cerebral palsy and is an internationally classified RR3 Frame Running athlete who trains with Perth Strathtay Harriers. Matthew has enjoyed a very successful 2022, winning numerous medals locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Matthew won Gold at the Scottish Disability Sport Track and Field Championships and travelled to Denmark to compete in the CPISRA International Frame Running Cup, competing in six races, achieving five personal bests and winning three silver medals. Matthew is also part of British Athletics Paralympic Development Academy and newly formed Frame Running Development Team.

7. Sport for Change Award

St Johnstone Community Trust

Saints in the Community (SITC) use the widespread appeal of sport to provide positive life-enhancing experiences to help people throughout Perth & Kinross achieve their goals. In 2022, as well as providing many opportunities to play or be involved in football activities, SITC provided 363 free meals to children, delivered winter hampers to the elderly and vulnerable, and set up programmes to inspire adults to lead a healthier life, and to take part in physical activities to improve mental health. Adults with dementia took part in free reminiscence activities and Show Racism the Red Card workshops were delivered to young people.

8. Club of the Year

Tayside Judo

The club offers a phenomenal 20 classes each week across 5 different venues within Perth & Kinross, including establishing 3 new judo classes at Strathearn Community Campus in Crieff in 2022. They continue to grow judo opportunities and participation rates across the area. Tayside Judo Club supports individuals to improve their confidence, fitness, physical and mental health through camps, competitions and grading. Competitively, coaches and individuals from the club take part nationally and on the world stage, and coach David was also selected to the Judo Scotland coaching academy.

9. Youth Leadership Award

Rebecca Harvey - Netball / Swimming

Crieff High School pupil Rebecca is a fantastic role model, showing others that young people can make positive change. Rebecca commits her time to many different organisations to support young people, including, sportscotland, Youth Sports Trust, Young Ambassadors at Crieff High School, support to the Active Schools Co-ordinator, support to the PE department and coaching at Crieff High Netball Club. Rebecca has achieved over 300 Saltire volunteer hours in 2022 (volunteering with young people in sport), and an incredible 900 volunteering hours in total. Rebecca is a Fit For Girls Tutor, supporting and encouraging young girls to participate in sport. She attended the “Gie it Laldy” girls into sport event as a tutor, delivering workshops to increase girls participation in sport. Rebecca then went on to organise and run her own Fit For Girls event in her school.

10. George Mortimer Service to Sport Award

Jim Hunter BEM, Perth Strathtay Harriers

Jim started coaching more than 40 years ago and developed into an outstanding coach, before taking up the reins as Club President at Perth Strathtay Harriers over a decade ago. He has encouraged and enabled frame runners, wheelchair users and able-bodied athletes, all using the track at the same time. His influence has developed the club beyond a simple athletics organisation into a facility that is accessible to the local and wider community, which has had the direct effect of building confidence and focus, and improving mental health where it is most needed. In June 2022, Jim received a British Empire Medal (BEM) for his services to inclusion in sport and in December 2022 Jim was a Lifetime Achievement Award winner at the UK Coaching Awards.

11. Sports Personality of the Year

Eve Muirhead OBE - Curling

Scottish curling legend Eve has had a phenomenal 2022 with medals at two major competitions, including Britain's only gold medal at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games and a World Championship mixed doubles title with Bobby Lammie. Eve retired from the sport in August 2022, as a current Olympic, World and European Champion. Also in 2022, Eve took third place in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards, received an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours, was the Team GB Flag bearer at the Winter Olympic Games opening ceremony and alongside her team members, was awarded the Freedom of Perth accolade - the first female to receive the award since 1935 when it was awarded to the Queen Mother.