COMMONWEALTH Youth Games medallist Caleb McLeod missed out on being named Under-20 Athlete of the Year at the scottishathletics and jogscotland 4J Studios Annual Awards.

The talented 17-year-old, who won bronze at the prestigious event in August, was shortlisted for the accolade alongside Dean Patterson and Natasha Phillips.

Dundee Hawkhill Harriers athlete Phillips, who this year broke the under-20 European record in half marathon running, was chosen as its recipient on an evening where Caleb's coach, Steve Doig, was feted as the Para Performance Coach of the Year.

He was also shortlisted for Performance Development Coach of the Year, which was awarded to Ross Cairns, whilst Fife AC's Ben Sandilands, who won T20 1500 metres gold at the Para Athletics World Championships, was in the running for Para Athlete of the Year.

Wheelchair racer Samantha Kinghorn, a T53 100m gold medallist at that competition, took the prize, whilst Caleb's club, Pitreavie AAC, along with Harmeny AC, lost out in the Track and Field Club of the Year category to Edinburgh AC.

Last week, we reported that Caleb was "honoured" to have been nominated for the awards following his exploits at the Commonwealth Youth Games, where he won 800m bronze.

Reflecting on his race in the final, which saw him win Team Scotland's first track medal of the Games, he said: "I couldn't really take it all in. It all just happened so quickly, now I think about it.

"I just remember when I was trying to overtake the Ugandan boy (Raymond Omara, who placed fourth) I was really trying to pick up, then we hit the home straight. I was just running and thinking 'oh please, don't let this guy overtake me again'.

"I wasn't even focused on the people in front of me at that point; I was just trying to make sure I stayed in the bronze medal position when I crossed the line.

"It was almost like a relief that I'd got over the line in the medals. It was a lot of emotions all at once, to be honest with you."

Although he lost out on the Para Athlete of the Year prize - which club-mate and West Fife star, Owen Miller, won in 2021 after winning T20 1500m Paralympic gold in Tokyo - Ben will have his sights set on next year's Paralympics.

Both athletes are also coached by Doig and, speaking to Press Sport after his victory at the Para Athletics World Championships, Ben's mum, Claire, said: "From the day Ben started running for the club, Ben has been supported by Steve all the way. As well as for himself, he does run for Steve.

"When he crossed the line, I could see Ben cross the line, but I was in shock I think.

"It was really good."

Guest of honour at the awards was former Pitreavie star, and Olympic and Commonwealth Games medallist, Eilidh Doyle, who retired from the sport in 2021.