Four Scots – singles player Susan Egesltaff plus doubles experts Imogen Bankier, Emma Mason and Jillie Cooper – have so far qualified for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in October. 

Because of the quirks of the qualification system, it seems that Scotland might miss out again on the chance to chase a team medal. Having won a bronze in Manchester 2002, it was a massive disappointment that there was no Scottish side in Melbourne in 2006. 

And despite being acknowledged as one of the leading Commonwealth nations, it could be another no show in India. The reason is that badminton is not really classified as a team sport. 

“The players compete as individuals and a lot of our doubles specialists play with English partners,” explained Anne Smillie, the Chief Executive of Badmintonscotland.

“We hope we might get a team and we reckon we have a good case, but it will be up to the Commonwealth Games selection committee.”

With Kieran Merrilees, Gordon Thomson (both singles players) and Watson Briggs (doubles) as experienced internationalists, Scotland could certainly produce a formidable line-up. 

For the younger end, Kirsty Gilmour, Martin Campbell, Angus Gilmour and Paul van Rietvelde spring to mind as possible candidates.

Kirsty could strike lucky. There is hope that the 16-year-old might be included as one of a young band of Scots that have already been picked out as potential medallists for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014,

The Bothwell teenager would certainly relish the chance of a Games warm-up. “I would love to go,” said Kirsty, who recently became the youngest player ever to win a Bank of Scotland Scottish Under-23 Championship. At Meadowbabk in April, she won all three titles – singles, doubles and mixed. 

“It would be a tremendous experience to go to India and find out what the Games are all about,” she continued. “I got my first senior cap at the Uber Cup in Warsaw in February and had a great time. It is very different from the junior scene, and everyone has been so supportive.

“I feel my game has come on a lot this year, and I’ve just been included as a member of the GB squad. It means that, for a first time, it will no longer cost me money to go and compete in overseas tournaments.      

“But I don’t need to go to the GB training squads in Milton Keynes. I’ve been working with the new Scottish National coach, Yvette Yun Luo, since January and she’s helped me take a new approach to the game. It’s not all about fitness – but about the strategy and reading the game.”

A fifth year pupil at the Scottish School of Sport in Glasgow, Kirsty fits her training around her studies for three Highers. Next year, she will be doing another three and then she may take time off to concentrate on badminton.

“My focus is all on the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow,” she added. “Before then, I want to get a decent world ranking and win some tournaments. After the Games, I will then think about trying to make it to an Olympics.”

If Scotland is denied a team in Delhi, then Kirsty – who plays singles and doubles - could possibly team up with Cooper as Scotland’s second women’s doubles partnership. But the hope, from badminton’s point of view, is that she is part of a Scottish side chasing a coveted medal.

EB
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