A rare form of Scottish gold will play a key part at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Around six grams of the rare 18 carat material has been sourced from the Kildonan Burn – which runs near Helmsdale in Sutherland – and was panned by hand by gold panners and local school children.
David Grevemberg, Glasgow 2014 Chief Executive, said:
“Our deepest thanks go to everyone in Helmsdale, the school children and local people who were involved in not only gathering this special and unique gold, but in making this wonderful donation happen.
“What better way to ensure Scotland’s contribution to the Commonwealth Games movement lives on than with this tangible and glittering addition to the David Dixon Trophy.”
The gold was gathered from the burn at Baile an Or, Gaelic for ‘Town of Gold’ at the site of the original Scottish gold rush of 1868 when a local man first found gold in the water. Some 500 prospectors subsequently made their way to the Strath of Kildonan by the spring of 1869 in search of their fortune.
The Timespan Museum and Arts Centre donated the gold to the Commonwealth Games Federation. Louise Martin, Honorary Secretary of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said:
“The David Dixon Award encapsulates all the values of the Commonwealth, rewarding one single athlete, not just based on their performance but on a wider contribution to their team and their commitment to the fair play spirit of the Games.
“The fact that this trophy will now carry a little bit of Scotland to all future Games will serve as a wonderful reminder of Glasgow 2014 and Scotland’s contribution to the Commonwealth Games movement.”
The David Dixon Award will be given to an athlete based on their performance, spirit of fair play and overall contribution to their team.
First introduced at the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games, the David Dixon Award is named after the former honorary secretary of the Commonwealth Games Federation.
Previous winners include Jamaican Triple Jumper Trecia Smith (2010), Indian Shooter Samaresh Jung (2006) and South African Swimmer Natalie du Toit (2002).