Sharpshooter Laurenson crowned Sportsperson of the Year

Sportsmen and women from across the isles celebrated another spectacular year of success at Friday night’s Shetland Sports Awards – with shooter John Magnus Laurenson being crowned this year’s Sportsperson of the Year.

A huge round of applause was given to guest speaker and Scottish Rugby’s head coach Gregor Townsend who shared entertaining stories from his playing days during a Q and A with Isles MSP Tavish Scott, as well as giving an insight into his coaching career.

Island games shooter Laurenson was given a standing ovation at the ceremony in the Clickimin.

Laurenson struck gold in Gotland this summer in a nail-biting finish to the Olympic Skeet event.

It was his first gold medal and 10th island games podium finish since representing Shetland in the games since 1991.

Asked what was different about Gotland this year, he replied: “I got a bit older I think.”

He said there was some young shooters coming through and Shetland clocked up a record score against Orkney this year.

Although he wasn’t so keen about taking Tavish up on his offer of joining him on the golf course.

Meanwhile, Seumas MacKay topped off a superb year on the track having won gold in the men’s 800 metres at the Island Games this summer

MacKay has represented Shetland and Scotland, winning medals for both the isles and the national team.

The middle distance runner broke the Shetland record at the games and that record fell six times over the course of the season.

He has also set new best times in the 1500m twice.

The Lifetime Endeavour Award was given to Sandra Jamieson – for her service of 25 years as an archery coach, and 20 years as a member and leader of Team Shetland in the Island Games.

This included a huge amount of work for Shetland hosting the games in 2005.

Jamieson won one of Shetland’s first medals in the early days of the Island Games in 1987 in Guernsey.

She went on to win further medals, for archery – an individual bronze in Faroe (1989) and in Aland (1991), and then the team bronze in Gibraltar in 1995.

She was also the flag bearer for the team in the Isle of Wight in 1993 and water carrier in Gibraltar in 1995.

The winners of this year’s awards are as follows:

• Volunteer of the Year: Kim Johnson and Kaylee Mouat.

• Volunteer of the Year: Billy Mycock.

• Technical Official of the Year: Sarah Couper.

• Coach of the Year: David Wagstaff.

• Young Team of the Year: JIC Swimming.

• Team of the Year: Women’s Triathlon.

• Young Sportsperson of the Year: Seumas Mackay.

• Sportsperson of the Year: John Magnus Laurenson.

• Lifetime Endeavour Award: Sandra Jamieson.

• For more videos from the night see The Shetland Times Facebook page.

• More in next week’s Shetland Times