Inverness teenager and UHI student Aidan Lennan believes Scottish Sports Awards young athlete of the year gong is recognition of growth of kickboxing
Inverness teenager Aidan Lennan says being named Scotland’s young athlete of the year made it feel like kickboxing is being recognised more on the national stage.
The 17-year-old UHI student won the prize at the 2024 Scottish Sports Awards, seeing off competition from fellow nominees Erin Boothman (cycling) and Nayma Sheikh (cricket).
Celebrating the biggest and best of Scottish sport over the last 12 months, Lennan was able to rub shoulders with legends like Katherine Grainger, Colin Montgomerie and Jim Anderson, who were all inducted into the Scottish sport hall of fame.
Having previously been surprised to find his name among such luminaries, it was a shocking moment for the multi-time world champion kickboxer to be announced as the winner.
It came much to his, and his family’s, delight though.
“There were sports stars everywhere – it was the kind of event I hadn’t really been to before, so it was good,” Lennan said.
“I wasn’t really expecting to win, I’m not going to lie. When my name popped up, I just started walking and before I knew it I was on stage thinking ‘this is a bit weird’, but I couldn’t keep the smile off my face.
“My mum just started screaming, and (younger brother) Ciaran was clapping. My granda was there too, clapping and smiling and telling me well done.
“It felt like I was actually being recognised, and people outside the world of kickboxing had seen what I’ve been doing.
“When kickboxing became recognised as an Olympic sport, I started to think these things were possible. Before it wasn’t really in that group of sports that would be chosen.
“We were speaking at the dinner table a couple of nights ago about how big of a deal it is, and what I’ve actually achieved with this.
“For me, the World Championships are still bigger, but this is probably the second biggest thing for me – only because if I didn’t get the World Championships, I don’t think I would have got this award.”
After becoming the top ranked athlete in the world in his age group and weight category, Lennan may be hard pushed to have a better 2025 than this year.
He will return to full training in the new year ahead of national championships in both February and March, but he already has his sights set on a way to make even more history in kickboxing.
“In 2025, I can fight as a junior and as a senior, because I will be in my last year as a junior,” Lennan added.
“Hopefully I can win in both. Not many people have done that, and I don’t think anyone has done it from Scotland, so that would be quite a big accomplishment.
“I want to try and get a few fight nights going as well, but my main target is to win the Euros as a junior and then win at the Worlds as a senior.”
