Scottish Paralympians Smash 2012 Record

17 September 2016, 09:12 | Updated: 17 September 2016, 09:17

Scottish Paralympians have surpassed their London 2012 record with another gold medal for wheelchair tennis star Gordon Reid.

The 24-year-old defeated his doubles partner Alfie Hewett 6-2, 6-1 on Friday at the Rio games, adding to the 12 medals already won by Scottish athletes.

Reid, who also won the Australian and French Open titles this year, partnered Hewett to silver in the doubles competition.

Scottish Paralympians won 11 medals at London 2012 but success for Reid and others including double gold-winner Libby Clegg has surpassed that total.

Athletes have so far won five gold, six silver and two bronze medals with two days of competition remaining.

The success follows the Rio 2016 Olympics, which was the most successful overseas Games for Scottish athletes with 13 medals - four gold, seven silver and two bronze.

A celebratory event for all athletes is to be staged in Edinburgh later this month.

Sportscotland chief executive Stewart Harris said: ``2016 is a year that will live long in Gordon's memory; he has been sensational and has now added Paralympic gold to his Wimbledon and French Open singles titles as well as his doubles victories at Wimbledon and the Australian Open this year.

``It must have been strange playing against his doubles partner Alfie in the final, but Gordon played magnificently to become Paralympic champion. Well done to both of them.

``Gordon is an inspirational figure in Scottish sport and Tennis Scotland and his support team at the sportscotland institute of sport will be delighted with his double success in Rio after winning silver in doubles with Alfie.

``It has been a very successful Games with the Scots on ParalympicsGB having won 13 medals so far. They have surpassed the 11 medals won four years ago in London with two more days of competition to go, which is a wonderful achievement and testament to the strength of para-sport in Scotland.''