Fife sportswoman shortlisted at BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards

Ruby McDonald from Glenrothes attended the glittering event after winning Scotland’s unsung hero award. She headed south to join the other regional winners at the landmark 70thh anniversary event which was hosted by TV stars Gary Lineker, Clare Balding, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott. Although the trophy went to 70-year old Des, Smith, the driving force behind Sheffield Caribbean Sports Club for almost 40 years, it was still a memorable occasion for the 17-year old Fifer.

Ruby is a member of Glenrothes Strollers Football Club para team and Disability Sport Fife. She was runner up at the Kirkcaldy sports awards last year along with Fife Athletic Club runner Ben Sandilands. The category was won by archer Stuart Padley, of Glenrothes, who took silver representing Great Britain at the 2022 Invictus Games at the Hague.

The UK recognition underlines how the awards are a great platform to celebrate and raise awareness of our own local sports heroes.

The search to honour the most dedicated and successful sportsmen and women and teams of 2023 is now underway, and will culminate with a presentation night at Fife College’s St Brycedale Campus on Thursday, March 7.

The existing junior; youth; senior; disability; coach; junior/youth team; team and service to sport prizes will for the first time be supplemented by a club award. Nominations across all categories are now open - and the judges want to hear from you. Full details at https://www.kcfsportscouncil.co.uk/

The awards - which cover achievements in 2023 - are now into their 14th year after last year’s hugely successful return following a pandemic-enforced break.

The winners will not be revealed until the big night in the atrium of the St Brycedale campus - the event’s home since its launch in 2008.

The sports council covers a geographical patch from Burntisland to Leven and Glenrothes. The awards are open to anyone in the catchment area, or who are members of a club within it. Individuals who live outwith the area can be nominated provided they are members of a club within the area - and provided they are not shortlisted for a similar award in their home area. All achievements must have been accomplished in 2023.