Badminton: Double success for teenager Kirsty Gilmour

By ELSPETH BURNSIDE
Published on 04/02/2013 02:30

Bothwell teenager Kirsty Gilmour put in a good afternoon shift yesterday, retaining the women’s singles and claiming her first doubles title at the Yonex Scottish National Championships at Bell’s Sports Centre in Perth.

After a tough three ends in the doubles alongside partner Jillie Coper, 
Gilmour was back on court barely an hour later to sweep aside Rita Yuan Gao 21-16 21-12 in the singles. Gao had also lost in the doubles – 15-21 21-19 16-21 – in tandem with Glasgow teenager, Caitlin Pringle.

The men’s singles lost two-time defending champion, Kieran Merrilees, to an Achilles injury, but Calum Menzies stepped into the breach to regain the crown he won for a first time in 2010. In a rather one-sided final he defeated Glasgow student Danny Leinster 21-11 21-12

A mechanical technician based in Grangemouth, badminton is not top of the priority list for Menzies, a 26-year-old who was good enough for a 
European Championship singles bronze medal as a junior..

“Everyone else gets funding, but I get nothing and I don’t have as much opportunity to train and go abroad to tournaments as the rest of the top Scottish players,” he said. “Full-timers and students have all the time in the world.”

But, as a committed born again 
Christian, he is keeping the faith that he will be named today in the Scottish team for next week’s European mixed team Championships in Russia – and he also has an eye on next year’s 
Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“The 2014 Games are on everyone’s mind and I would like to think I have a chance of making the team,” he admitted. “But I know it is going to be very hard.”

Gilmour has risen to a high of No.41 in the world rankings following three victories this season and her goal for the next Commonwealth Games – Glasgow would be her second – is to be a medal contender.

Her first goal is to make an impact at the highest level. “I would love to get into the main draw for next month’s All-England Open,” said the West of Scotland University student. “At the moment, I’m fourth reserve in the singles so I’ve got a good chance.

“I was delighted to retain the 
Scottish singles and the doubles was a good comeback after dropping the second game. We played well and then it all went a bit pear-shaped but we’re accustomed to tight battles.”

Gao is currently based in Switzerland and, at 37, was always going to struggle to keep pace with her younger opponent. “The singles definitely went according to plan,” said the 19-year-old victor. “A case of youth over experience. But Rita is still a very good player.”

Gao admitted she was showing signs of age. Clutching her midriff after the singles, she admitted: ”I think I pulled a stomach muscle in the doubles. It is really sore.”

Edinburgh-born Robert Blair, who played for Scotland, then England (he moved to University in Loughborough) and will be back in Scottish colours in time for this year’s Sudirman Cup in Kuala Lumpur in May, claimed his first Scottish National title alongside 
Gordon Thomson in the men’s doubles.

The last time he competed was as an 18-year-old in 1999 and his first triumph came in a 21-17 21-11 final win over two-time former winners, Jamie Neill and Keith Turnbull.

The most tense final was the mixed doubles. And it was Imogen Bankier who claimed the title for a remarkable seventh year in a row and the sixth with Watson Briggs. Having to save eight game points in the second, they finally beat top seeds Blair and Cooper 21-19 28-26.

“It was great to win the doubles,” said Blair, a 2004 Olympian and former world championship silver medallist. “The mixed was also a good match and they did well to take it. It was good to be back at the Scottish Nationals and now I’m really looking forward to being available for the team again – I just hope I’m selected for Kuala Lumpur.”

The Championships always mark a loyal servant to the game and this year’s deserved recipient of the Derrick Roarty Award was Lanark’s John Barrie. He earned the first of is four Scottish caps in 1957 and is still active today in junior badminton in the Lanarkshire area.