Iain McLean wins South Lanarkshire Gents Sports Personality of the Year

Iain (31), a 10-time Blackwood Victoria Bowling Club champion, was named as the award winner at last Tuesday’s ceremony in Hamilton.

He said: “Winning this award makes me proud as South Lanarkshire is a very strong area for sports performers.

“Even coming out on top in Clydesdale was terrific and this one completes a great double.”

Iain’s Hamilton awards triumph came after a wonderful 2014 in which he landed the World Champion of Champions title last November in Christchurch, New Zealand.

After a long qualification process just to reach New Zealand, Iain won eight of his round robin group matches to qualify for the knockout stages. He then triumphed in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final to become overall champion.

“Winning the World Champion of Champions is by far the highlight of my bowling life,” said Iain.

“Playing so many matches was quite tiring both mentally and physically but I was pleased to win.

“It is tricky playing in New Zealand because it is a windy country and the greens are so fast that it doesn’t take much wind to blow your bowls off course. Coping with that really tests a bowler’s patience.”

Despite his world triumph, Iain didn’t make the final Scotland squad for last summer’s Commonwealth Games.

He added: “Scotland is the world’s strongest bowling nation so it is very hard to get selected. A great ambition of mine is to compete at the next Commonwealth Games.”