By Gary Anderson

April 13 - CGF honorary secretary Louise Martin with Helmsdale Primary pupils who helped to source the gold to be used for the David Dixon Award ©Glasgow 2014Glasgow 2014 organisers have announced gold from the Kildonan Burn will be used to create a special design that will be attached to the David Dixon Award that will presented at this year's Commonwealth Games and future events.

The David Dixon Award is given to a single athlete chosen from the thousands who compete in the Commonwealth Games and is based on their performance, spirit of fair play and overall contribution to their team.

The award was first introduced at the Manchester 2002 Games and was named after the former honorary secretary of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) David Dixon, who served in the role for 17 years before his death in 1999.

South African Paralympic and Commonwealth Games swimming champion Natalie du Toit was the first recipient of the award in 2002 followed by Indian shooter Samaresh Jung at Melbourne 2006 and former Jamaican triple jump world champion Trecia-Kaye Smith at Delhi 2010.

"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," said current honorary secretary of the CGF Louise Martin.

"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 has been given to the outstanding athlete at the Commonwealth Games since Manchester 2002 ©Glasgow 2014The David Dixon Award has been given to the outstanding athlete at the Commonwealth Games since Manchester 2002 ©Glasgow 2014



Around six grams of the rare 18 carat gold has been sourced from the Kildonan Burn at Baile an Or - Gaelic for '"Town of Gold", which runs near Helmsdale, Sutherland in the North East of Scotland.

The area was the centre of the Scottish gold-rush of 1868.

The gold to be used for the award was panned by hand by gold panners and local school children and courtesy of the Museum and Arts Centre has been donated to the CGF.

It is currently being moulded to the shape of the official Glasgow 2014 logo by a skilled jeweller and will be permanently attached to the award presented by the CGF at every Games.

This year's recipient is due to receive the David Dixon Award at the Glasgow 2014 Closing Ceremony at Hampden Park on August 3.

The Games are schedled to start on July 23.

"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," commented Glasgow 2014 chief executive David Grevemberg.

"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."

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