SCOTTISH INTERNATIONAL BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS

She never managed to win the title as Susan Hughes, but the newly-married Mrs Egelstaff will be desperate to finally get her hands on the Bank of Scotland Scottish International title at Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall this month.

Less than a year away from the Commonwealth Games, the 27-year-old Scottish Champion wants to prove that her career is still very much on an upward curve, with the 2012 Olympic Games in London the ultimate target. 

Last year, Susan reached the semi-finals at the Kelvin Hall before losing out to England’s Liz Cann. Cann will be back to defend the title, with Russia’s two-time winner, Ella Diehl, another huge threat in the women’s singles. 

“It’s amazing to think that it just ten months or so until the Commonwealth Games,” said Susan, who won a bronze medal in Melbourne 2006. “I’ve had a very solid start to the season and made semi-finals in Belgium and Bulgaria.

“But now I want to step it up and really make my mark and it would be great to win in Glasgow. But I’m just going to try and treat it the same as any other tournament and not put too much pressure on myself.

“I got married in May and it’s a bit strange playing under another name.  But it certainly hasn’t dulled my ambition. I definitely want to carry on until the next Olympics.”

Edinburgh’s Jillie Cooper won the women’s doubles last year – the shock is that she will be defending the title with a different partner. She will be teaming up with Samantha Ward, while her pervious partner, Mariana Agathangelou, joins forces with another Scot, Emma Mason. 

Unfortunately, Scot Imogen Bankier is out with injury, so won’t be able to try and repeat her 2007 success in the mixed doubles with Robert Blair. But Blair is taking part with a new 17-year-old prospect, Jessica Fletcher.

In the tenth year of Bank of Scotland’s support of the Championships, the strength and depth of talent on show has never been stronger. There are going to be 250 top-class players representing 30 countries at the Kelvin Hall from November 18-22. 

Changes are going to take place within Scottish badminton within the next few months – details of the actual re-organisation have still to be finalised – but the plan builds on the 2005-09 strategy and sets ambitious targets for the continued development of badminton in Scotland.

The key element will be to strengthen the player development pathway, catering for the needs of all players at all ages and all levels of ability or ambition. 

BADMINTONscotland Chief Executive Anne Smillie said: "Our aim is to increase the number of people playing the game, not just at elite level but for all ages and standards.

“We have seen participation increase in the last four-year cycle and we hope, through events like our Bank of Scotland Play Badminton Carnivals, that we can continue to attract youngsters to our sport in large numbers.

"Success at international level is always vital as these are those players representing Scotland become role models for our aspiring youngsters."

The strategy is concerned with the quality of experience for badminton players. Through this approach it is anticipated that badminton can contribute to the two key national outcomes identified in Reaching Higher, the national strategy for sport – increasing sports participation and improving performance.

EB
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