CWG 2026: Who Is Melanie Woods? Scottish Athlete Awarded The David Dixon Fairplay Award

Last Updated:August 03, 2026, 02:53 IST

Melanie Woods, Scottish Paralympian, wins David Dixon Fairplay Award at CWG. Discover her inspiring journey to gold in wheelchair racing.

Two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Melanie Woods was on Sunday, August 2, awarded the David Dixon Fairplay Award during the closing ceremony of the Glasgow edition of the Games.

Born in August 1994, Woods is a Scottish teacher and wheelchair racer who represented her nation at the postponed 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo and the 2026 CWG in Glasgow.

At the CWG, Woods bagged gold medals in the women’s T54 400m and 1500m events for Scotland. Her 1500m title was confirmed after she won both the original race and the subsequent re-run ordered after a collision involving other athletes in the first attempt.

Born in 1994, Woods developed an interest in cycling, fitness and horse riding from a young age. She came into the spotlight after a life-changing accident in 2018, when a car collided with her while she was cycling in Inverness.

At the time, Woods was working as a PE teacher in Glasgow.

When the ambulance arrived, Woods was lying face down and realised that she had lost control of her lower body. She had suffered severe injuries, including a fractured pelvis and back, while one of her legs was broken in three places and left without skin.

Woods was left paralysed from the waist down and spent her recovery at the spinal unit of Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. While recovering, she watched the Paralympic Games, which inspired her to pursue a new goal, competing in wheelchair racing herself.

Inspired by the dedication and determination of Paralympians, Woods explored multiple sports, including wheelchair tennis and swimming, and even travelled abroad for skiing.

But Woods found her calling in wheelchair racing. She joined Glasgow’s Red Star Athletics Club, where she trains daily with her coach and alongside fellow wheelchair racer Sammi Kinghorn as her training partner.

Woods made her competitive debut at the Inter-Spinal Unit Games in 2019. With support from a charity, she was able to purchase her own racing wheelchair and lightweight carbon-fibre wheels, permitting her to take the next step in her career.

Woods later represented Scotland at the 2021 World Para Athletics European Championships in Poland.

At the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi last year, Woods won two bronze medals in the 800m T54 and 1500m T54. She bagged two gold medals in the same events at the CWG 2026.

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