BADMINTON September 2007
FOUR NATIONS SUCCESS FOR SCOTSThe listing was posted by Scottish Disability Sport
The Welsh Badminton Union hosted and organised the second annual Four Nations Disabled Badminton Championships in Cardiff. The event was held in mid August and attracted three times the number of entries than when it was first held in 2006. The championships offer opportunities for players with a physical or learning disability to compete in one of four sections. Physically disabled players can compete in a wheelchair or standing class. There is also a class for dwarf athletes. There is a separate section for players with a learning disability and here there were 10 Scottish players contesting three titles. There were five entrants into the section for wheelchair users and two ambulant physically disabled players. There were many Scottish successes including three gold medals in the section for players with a learning disability for Cameron Robertson in mens singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Every Scottish representative in the wheelchair section won a medal. The outstanding performance was by Dave Quarrie who won two gold medals in singles and mens doubles, Ryan MacDonald won gold in the mens doubles and silver in mixed doubles. There were silver medals for Paul Webster and Graeme Stewart in the mens doubles and Kirsty Jones won a silver medal in the ladies doubles. In the section for ambulant physically disabled players there was a silver in the mens singles for Alan Oliver. Alan went on to partner Connor MacFarlane to win silver in the mens doubles. The feedback from members of the Scottish team was incredibly positive particularly about the organisation of the event. Dave Gillespie, voluntary coach to the Scottish squad, praised the Welsh Badminton Union for setting the bar high in terms of running the championships. Team member Ryan MacDonald congratulated Disability Sport Wales for the organisation and professionalism demonstrated in hosting the event and singled out Lyndon Williams in particular. All players were made very welcome and the support services offered to players was of the highest order. David Gillespie and fellow coach Christine Black were delighted with the Scottish team’s performance of 7 golds and 11 silver medals from the three sections contested. This was an improvement on the excellent performances tally of last year. The Scottish Disability Badminton Group brings together partner agencies involved in the promotion of badminton in Scotland. BADMINTONscotland has been the driving force behind the initiative and each year the sport is growing in strength and interest as the players skills and abilities improve. A number of Scots will be represented in Shanghai at the World Special Olympics Games in the sport of badminton and all of Scotland wishes them well.