British Curling’s Olympic Head Coach David Murdoch has received a prestigious award at the 25th UK Coaching Awards ceremony, which took place last night.
The Mussabini Medal is presented to recognise coaches of British performers who have achieved outstanding success on the world stage. 
Murdoch was the lynchpin in Team GB’s greatest ever Olympiic curling success after the GB women and men claimed Olympic gold and silver respectively, in the same season that both teams made history as Scotland’s men and women claimed gold at the same major championship for the first time ever at the 2021 European Championships.
Scotland also celebrated unprecendented success in another Olympic discipline, with back to back World Mixed Doubles titles won by Jen Dodds and Bruce Mouat in 2021 and Eve Muirhead and Bobby Lammie in 2022, while coming through in the junior ranks Team James Craik won the World Junior title, demonstrating the world class pathway Murdoch oversees while managing the Olympic curling programme.
After receiving the special accolade at the event honouring the nation’s top coaches, Murdoch said, ”I am very humbled to receive the Mussabini Award on behalf of our coaching team at British Curling last night.
"An inspiring evening full of stories of success and inclusion at all levels of sport.
“Keep doing what you do coaches! You inspire everyone around the country and change so many people’s lives.”
The awards – seen as the most prestigious within the coaching community – were created to recognise the remarkable contributions coaches make in providing high-quality coaching experiences, supporting people holistically on their journey through sport and physical activity, and promoting the physical and mental health of the nation. 
From transforming lives and communities in the world of sport and physical activity, to blazing a trail for inclusion in all coaching environments, to celebrating the great coaching moments of the year in high performance sport, the coaching family was given a fitting celebration for their outstanding work.
The event recognised top coaches across the UK including the Lionesses' Sarina Wiegman, British Cycling's Simon Watt, and legendary UK Athletics coach Aston Moore for their invaluable contributions to the people and teams they coach, following a special year for major events and competitions, which included a home Commonwealth Games and Women's European Championships.
From the initial list of finalists in each category, worthy winners have been chosen for each of the following awards:
Mussabini Medallists
- David Murdoch MBE – Curling
- Scott MacBain – Para Alpine Skiing
UK Coaching CEO Mark Gannon said:
“What an honour it was to see so many inspirational coaches be recognised for their outstanding contributions to coaching.
“These coaches, and all our UK Coaching Awards finalists, don’t just support more people into physical activity and sport, they also change lives, tackle inequalities and help build communities. They also have an insatiable appetite to be the best versions of themselves in order to help their participants.
“I would like to extend a huge congratulations to all our winners. For our 25th UK Coaching Awards, the bar was raised once again, and it is so important that we acknowledge and thank all coaches, at all levels and in all settings, as they work tirelessly to support more people mentally and physically through physical activity and sport.”
Find out more about this year’s winners and the awards by heading to UK Coaching Awards.
