Winners Celebrated at 2018 Scottish Gymnastics Awards
Over 140 guests attended the 2018 Scottish Gymnastics Awards in the Apex Grassmarket Hotel in Edinburgh on Saturday evening.
Fyrish Gymnastics Club walked away with the Club of the Year award and head coach Sonny Rhind was delighted, given the club’s rural location. He said: “We are the first club in the Highlands to secure their own dedicated facility, so to win this award is massive for us and our community.”
Commonwealth Games medallist Frank Baines was awarded Senior Gymnast of the Year highlighting his bronze medal in the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games as a particular highpoint of the year. He said: “We came from behind to clinch the bronze medal. Having been at a previous Games, I felt like the grandad and I used that experience to help us.”
The Acrobay trio of Erin Henderson, Sacha Muir and Chloe Rowlands, who were up for the Junior Gymnast of the Year Award, went one better and won the award this year after a successful year on the world stage. The two elder members of the trio Erin and Sacha announcing that they will be deferring starting university to concentrate on their Acro commitments at senior level this season.
Doug Lonie of Saltire Team Gymnastics has been instrumental in his club’s ambitions to move to their own facility. It was lunch with his daughter and other parents at a competition which led to him devoting hours at the club, he said: “Baked Potato and persuasion ended up in me spending a lot of hours at the club! Getting into a facility was a huge goal.”
City of Edinburgh’s Lauren Jeffrey was awarded Coach of the Year, recognition for her hard work in Double Mini Trampoline as club and Great Britain coach.
Shona Grigor from Hamilton Gymnastics club was Young Coach of the Year while Beacon Gymnastics Club’s Susan Arnott was awarded Official of the Year.
Each year Scottish Gymnastics recognises those who have done something outstanding in their field, and recipients this year were Astro Eden display team, British men’s head national coach Paul Hall MBE and Caitlin O’Brien for her achievements in double mini trampoline. Caitlin could not be there on the evening to receive the award as she was competing for GB at the DMT World Championships in Russia. Her coach Lauren Jeffrey collected her award on her behalf. She said; “Caitlin is an extremely driven young lady who comes back from any disappointment with fire in her belly. She is a role model for any gymnast in Scotland.”
Chris Rankin was honoured with a lifetime achievement award with 15 members of his family and friends there to celebrate with him – some had even travelled from the United States especially for the evening!
Congratulations to all our award winners and those who were shortlisted!
2018 SCOTTISH GYMNASTICS AWARDS
Club of the Year sponsored by Milano Pro Sport: Fyrish Gymnastics Club
Runners-up: Dumfries Y Gymnastics Club, , City of Edinburgh Trampoline Club and Garioch Gymnastics
Coach of the Year, sponsored by Gymnova: Lauren Jeffrey (City of Edinburgh Trampoline Club)
Runners-up: Suzanne Fraser (Acrobay Gymnastics Club) Tracey Brown (Saltire Team Gymnastics) and Rod Smith (City of Glasgow Gymnastics Club)
Young Coach of the Year, sponsored by BDO: Shona Grigor (Hamilton Gymnastics Club)
Runners-up: Michael Dick (Irvine Bay Gymnastics Club) Gemma Archer (Dynamic Gymnastics Academy) and Jemma Rollo (Fyrish Gymnastics Club)
Volunteer of the Year, sponsored by Morton Fraser: Doug Lonie (Saltire Team Gymnastics)
Runners-up: Lynn Simpson (Flyers Trampoline Club) and Nicola McPherson (Irvine Bay Gymnastics Club)
Official of the Year, sponsored by Gymdata: Susan Arnott (Beacon Gymnastics Club)
Runners-up: Catriona Morton (Saltire Team Gymnastics) and Jane Edwards (Midlothian Gymnastics Club)
Senior Gymnast of the Year, sponsored by W Denis Insurance Brokers: Frank Baines (Southport Gymnastics Club)
Runners-up: Cara Kennedy (City of Glasgow Gymnastics Club) and Kim Beattie (Banchory Trampoline Club)
Junior Gymnast of the Year, sponsored by PSB Photography: Erin Henderson, Sacha Muir and Chloe Rowlands (Acrobay)
Runners-up: Crystelle Lake (City of Glasgow Gymnastics Club) and Demi Adams (Sapphire Gymnastics Club)
Special Recognition Awards: Astro Eden Display Team, Paul Hall MBE and Caitlin O’Brien (City of Edinburgh Trampoline Club
Lifetime Achievement Award: Chris Rankin (Allander Gymnastics Club)
Check out some of the photos on facebook!
Image: copyright Rebecca Lee