Benson named Young Sports star of the Year

Dec 8 2011 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

WEST Lothian teenager Craig Benson was crowned Young Sports Person of the Year at the Sunday Mail and Sportscotland Scottish Sports Awards 2011.

The Scottish Sports Awards celebrate excellence in Scotland’s sportsmen, women and teams for their outstanding achievements across the sporting spectrum in 2011.

In July Craig won a silver medal at the European Junior Championships and went on to pick up a gold and silver medal in Peru in August.

Craig won the Great Britain swimming team’s first gold medal of the 2011 World Junior Championships in Lima in the 100m Breaststroke.

The 17-year-old then went on to win a remarkable three gold and one silver medals at the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Isle of Man and was named Scotland’s athlete of the games.

James Young High School pupil Craig is currently in Poland, but his mum Janice Benson, said: “We are delighted that Craig was named as the Young Sports Person of the Year.

“Poland is Craig’s first senior GB cap and he is very excited about that.

“He is currently travelling a great deal training and competing and early next year he will travel to Singapore to spend three weeks doing warm weather training in preparation for the Olympic trials at the beginning of March.”

The James Young High School headteacher Chris Horne congratulated Craig on his win.

He said: “We are all absolutely thrilled for Craig and we would like to congratulate him on all his successes earlier this year and on receiving this prestigious Award. Craig is a great ambassador for West Lothian.”

Executive councillor for education Andrew Miller added: “On behalf of West Lothian Council I would like to congratulate Craig on his success.

“We know that Craig will have been supported by his family and we would like to congratulate them too.

“West Lothian has a number of talented pupils who are making their mark in their individual disciplines and who are proving to be prospective Commonwealth and Olympic medal winners of the future.”

The Young Sports Person of the Year Award was sponsored by Winning Students, Scotland’s national student sports scholarships.