Balfour Honored, 8 Oct 2007

Kirsty Balfour runner up !

For the fourth time in five years Chris Hoy was crowned Scottish Sportsperson of the Year at the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland annual dinner in Glasgow on Saturday.

In the best tradition of these events, Hoy couldn't be there in person - he was competing in the British championships in Manchester - but he sent one of his possible successors, Kevin Stuart, to collect the Emirates Lonsdale Trophy.

European swimming champion Kirsty Balfour was second, with gymnast Daniel Keatings third, but Saturday's result means that Gregor Tait - last year's winner - remains the only athlete other than Hoy ever to pickup a prize inaugurated in 2003. There was an extra frisson to Saturday's dinner, ofcourse - and one dominant theme. 'The Road to SriLanka' was the title, with the decision on Glasgow's bid to stage the 2014 games due on 9 November.

Saturday's dinner was also Louise Martin's last as chair of the CGCS. She confirmed that, win or lose in Sri Lanka, she will stand down after two terms - eight years - at the head of the organisation. Martin will remain a board member of the CGCS and join the board of the Scottish Institute of Sport, chaired by Donnelly.