New sports hall of fame launched to honour Scottish women
- Published
Marjorie Langmuir (right) represented Scotland in hockey, badminton and tennis
Pioneering sportswomen, including a footballing suffragette, are to be honoured in a new Scottish Women in Sport Hall of Fame.
Helen Graham, founder of the UK's first women's football team, and Edna Nellis, who played for Scotland in the 1970s, will be recognised.
Multi-sports talents such as Marjorie Langmuir and paralympian Isabel Newstead will also feature.
Current stars will be inducted into the hall of fame in the spring.
'Female pioneers'
Maureen McGonigle, Scottish Women in Sport's chief executive, said: "All of these women deserve to be celebrated for breaking down gender barriers, challenging norms, acting as role models or having been forward-thinking and leading the way for other women.
"It is important that, as we move forward and continue to accelerate change, we take time to recognise the many female pioneers in sport who have largely gone unnoticed."
Sporting heroes
Helen Graham, who was born in Montrose, was a pioneer of women's football in the 1880s and set up the Scottish women's national team
Almost a century later Edna Nellis played in French and Italian championships and enjoyed a stellar career in the 1970s
Marjorie Langmuir was a unique talent who represented Scotland in hockey, badminton and tennis
Multiple gold medal-winning Paralympian and World champion Isabel Newstead, from Glasgow, excelled in swimming and shooting
The women were nominated by the public and national sporting bodies, and selected by a panel including Ms McGonigle, Dr Fiona Skillen, lecturer and sports historian at Glasgow Caledonian University and Hannah Norton of the sport and physical activity department at Strathclyde University.
Dr Skillen said: "Scotland's sporting past includes lots of fascinating and inspiring stories of sportsmen but it is unlikely you will find many sportswomen on the pages of Scotland's history books.
"There are, however, many incredible pioneering Scottish sportswomen who deserve recognition.
"I am delighted to have been able to help Scottish Women in Sport discover, celebrate and share their fascinating stories, which will do so much to inspire today's athletes."