Through multiple key swims across the British Nationals, European Games and FINA World Championships, Scotland’s Duncan Scott earned British Swimming’s Award for ‘Emerging Athlete of the Year.’ But he’s only one of the several Stirling, Scotland-based athletes to have made a name for themselves this summer, all across the globe.
18 year-old Scott claimed two finals at the British Nationals in April, placing 4th in the 100m freestyle and 6th in the 200m freestyle, then went on to throw down several impressive swims in Baku at the inaugural European Games. By the end of the Games, Scott had claimed gold in the men’s 400 freestyle relay, and individually in the 100m free and 200m free, in addition to silver in the mixed 400 free and men’s 400 medley relays.
Scott capped off his thrilling summer with two appearances on his country’s preliminary relay squads at the 2015 FINA World Championships, where he helpd his team claim some sweet final lane spots in the 400m and 800m freestyle relays. Scott recounts his summer’s highlights in the video, talking about how making the Worlds team was his grandest achievement thus far.
On to another Stirling-based teammate, Robbie Renwick was awarded the Scottish Sportsperson of the Year Award for 2015 for his efforts across the board. Renwick, too, was an integral part of the gold medal-winning World Championship 4 x 200m freestyle relay in Kazan.
Throw in breaststroking phenom Ross Murdoch‘s medal-hauling performances, and Craig Benson‘s 200m breaststorke win at U.S. Nationals and it does make one wonder what’s going on over there in Stirling? We find out on our next edition of the “Main Set” podcast, when we speak with Benson to find out Stirling’s ‘secret sauce’ that is leading to so much success, as well as what is driving Britain overall to becoming a hotbed of talent with which to be reckoned.