Scotland's top 10 sportswomen of the decade

The decade began with the Delhi Commonwealth Games, continued with the London 2012 Olympics and then a home Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014, while numerous other global championships produced medal-winning performances.

Scottish sportswomen have become some of this country's most prominent and successful athletes over the past ten years and here's a run-down of the ten best of the decade.

LAURA MUIR

The 26-year-old has established herself as one of Scotland’s greatest track and field athletes, and she is likely to have years left at the top of middle-distance running.

She began this year in impressive style, defending both her 1500m and the 3000m titles at the European Indoor Championships, completing the double-double, which had never been done before at the event, while last year, she won her first outdoor major title, becoming European 1500m champion.

The year's World Championships saw her be part of the best women's 1500m race in history, but her time of 3 minutes 55.76 seconds was good enough only for fifth place for the British record holder.

HANNAH RANKIN

The boxer from Luss made history this summer, becoming Scotland’s first-ever female boxing world champion.

Her points victory over American Sarah Curran for the IBO super-welterweight title was not only a personal triumph for Rankin but also for the sport in Scotland.

A decade ago, a female world champion from these shores was almost unthinkable but Rankin has now paved the way for other Scottish females to follow in her footsteps.

KATHERINE GRAINGER

Grainger went into the London 2012 Olympics already something of a serial silver medallist having won Olympic silver in 2000, 2004 and 2008.

However, her victory in London in the double sculls alongside her partner, Anna Watkins, was one of the highlights of the Games.

This decade also saw Grainger win two world titles plus a fourth Olympic silver in Rio in 2016 but it was her Olympic gold seven years ago that really captured the hearts and minds of the British public.

HANNAH MILEY

Miley is the Benjamin Button of the swimming world.

The 30-year-old has been at the top end of world swimming for the entire decade, beginning with her Commonwealth 400m individual medley gold in 2010, a title which she defended in home waters at Glasgow 2014.

Over the past ten years, Miley has become one of the most decorated Scottish athletes of all-time, with other highlights including a European title in 2010, world silver in 2011and a raft of other major championship medals.

EVE MUIRHEAD

The profile of curling has sky-rocketed this decade thanks, in no small part, to Muirhead.

The 29-year-old has become a regular on major championship podiums, with particular highlights being her world title in 2013 and Olympic bronze in 2014. To add to that, she has collected two European titles as well as two further world championship medals and seven other European medals.

And on top of her achievements, the fitness levels she and her rink have displayed have transformed the perception of curling.

EILIDH DOYLE

Doyle had not missed a major championship this decade until she was absent from the World Championships this October due to pregnancy.

Her first major medal of the decade was 400m hurdles silver at the Commonwealth Games in 2010, a feat she repeated both in 2014 and in 2018.

She won double-gold at the European Championships in 2014, claiming individual and relay titles, while her Olympic medal to add to her world medals from 2013, 2015 and 2017 ensured she completed the full set of major championship silverware.

She is now Scotland’s most-decorated track and field athlete ever.

KIM LITTLE

There may be a number of Scottish women playing at top English and overseas clubs these days but Little was the one who really upped the level of women’s football in this country.

Now 29-years-old, she has been in the national team for 12 years, as well as gaining selection for the GB team for the London Olympics in 2012.

Over the course of the decade, she has played for Arsenal, Seattle Reign, Melbourne City before returning to Arsenal, with a particularly notable achievement being her Players Player of the Year award while at Arsenal in 2013 proving that she has real world-class credentials.

LIBBY CLEGG

Clegg, who is registered blind, has become one of the country’s most-recognisable Paralympians.

At London 2012, she repeated her silver medal-winning performance from four years earlier but in 2016, she grabbed the top spot, winning gold in both the T11 100m and 200m.

A world title, two European titles and a Commonwealth Games title over the decade have ensured she is one of the most successful para-athletes Scotland has ever produced.

This year, she returned from the birth of her first son to make the World Championship team just six months later.

KATIE ARCHIBALD

British track cyclists have become synonymous with success on the global stage, and Katie Archibald has slotted into that role nicely.

Still only 25-years-old, Archibald has not only become Olympic champion in the team pursuit, she has also won three world titles, twelve European titles and a Commonwealth title, with her total medal tally from major championships coming in at an incredible 28 – and she still appears to have a number of years left in her legs yet.

CATRIONA MATTHEW

Over the decade, Catriona Matthew was a regular pick for the European Solheim Cup team, appearing in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017, helping Europe to victory in both 2011 and 2013.

She was then made captain for the 2019 edition, which was held at Gleneagles, and she led Europe to a dramatic victory, with Suzann Petterson holing a 7-foot put on the 18th green of the last match to snatch the win for the Europeans.

Such was her success at the captaincy, she has been asked to return in 2021.

Individually, a particular highlight was her second-place finish in the 2013 Women’s PGA.