Beth Potter succeeded Eilish McColgan as Sportswoman of the Year on a night to remember for triathlon at the 2023 Scottish Women in Sport Awards.

The newly-crowned WTCS World Champion, Potter saw off cycling stars Katie Archibald and Neah Evans to lift the award.

And it came hot on the heels of her being confirmed as one of the first two triathletes selected for Team GB for next year’s Olympics in Paris, which will be her second Games after she raced in the 10,000 metres on the track at Rio 2016.

Triathlon double

And for the first time in the event’s ten-year history, both awards were won by athletes from the same sport as Isla Hedley was named Young Sportswoman of the Year.

Hedley ends the year as current World and European Junior Cross Triathlon Champion as well as Junior Champion in the British Triathlon Super Series.

Potter, who hails from Glasgow but now trains in Leeds, has just enjoyed her best-ever campaign since switching sports.

She started it with her first WTCS victory in Abu Dhabi, booked her Olympics spot by winning the Test Event in Paris and then rounded off the year in terrific style in Pontevedra to become World Champion. 

Hard work paying off

She wasn’t able to collect her award in person but speaking on a video link she said: “I’m so honoured to win this award and I’m really surprised, especially being up against two exceptional female athletes in Katie and Neah.

“It’s taken a long six or seven year graft to get to this point but I’ve seen progress year on year and it’s really nice to see it all come together, and particularly in an Olympic year.”