Scottish 400m hurdler Eilidh Doyle would be “lauded” if she were a top musician or academic, says Scottish Athletics head coach Stephen Maguire.
Doyle has won 16 Olympic, world and European medals since 2010, but Maguire says athletes are often not appreciated until “they’ve gone or disappeared”.
Speaking on the eve of the European Indoor Championship in Glasgow, he says Doyle, 31, falls into that category.
“As role models, athletes deserve a lot of respect,” Maguire told BBC Scotland.
“Eilidh is a massive role model for women in sport. She brings experience, nous and calmness to the team, and the younger athletes learn off that.
“We could, at times, be kinder and reflect on what it takes to win. And from a Scottish perspective, we can’t go too far wrong with the role models we have.”
Doyle claimed Olympic 4x400m relay bronze in 2016, and has two world championship silver medals and one bronze in the event.
She won three consecutive Commonwealth Games silver medals in the 400m, as well as world indoor bronze last year.