Latest News - August 2008
SPECIAL GOLFERS - FAMOUS PLACES
Two local enthusiastic golfers, Mark Richardson and Ross McQuilkin representing Team Scotland 2008, took part in the Special Olympics Great Britain Triple Crown Golf Competition. The event was held at The Belfry, one of the world’s most famous golf destinations, on 15th / 16th August 2008. Mark, Ross and the team battled against strong competition from England, Ireland and Wales and were both presented with creditable third place medals. The competition was played over 18 holes – the first round (9 holes) on the Brabazon Course and the second round (9 holes) on the PGA National Course.
Ross and Mark with their medals
Mark and Ross are both members of East Kilbride Youth Disability Sports Club where they have been encouraged to develop their golfing skills. Mark is also a proud member of Strathaven Golf Club and both Mark and Ross are hoping to represent Scotland West in the Special Olympics National Games to be held in Leicester next summer.
FOUR NATIONS DISABILITY BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS
The trip to Cardiff for the 4 Nations Disability Badminton Championships for the Learning Disability athletes is never going to be easy. Ten hours by mini-bus is a tiring way to get there but it is a cost effective way of getting large numbers to the event. Twelve athletes endured the journey with myself and two assistants. A further four made there own way there with parents, such is the measure of their determination to take part in this event.
The early rounds of the singles and level doubles are played on the Saturday but because of court problems the mixed doubles also had to be played up to the final stages on Saturday evening with play finishing at 6.30pm. That's a lot of games in a very warm hall. A few old faces were not there this time around but equally there were a few new competitors to contend with. The Scottish Learning Disability athletes performed to their usual high standard and managed to win their way through to nine of the twelve finals on the Sunday and came home with TEN GOLD and NINE SILVER MEDALS between them. The Scottish individual medal winners were:-
- Mens Singles (Class 1) Cameron Robertson GOLD
- Mens Singles (Class 2) Drew Daly GOLD
- Ladies Singles (Class 1) Elizabeth Jamieson SILVER
- Mens Doubles (Class 1) Cameron Robertson & Ross McCann GOLD, James Pert & Grant Hunter SILVER
- Ladies Doubles (Class 1) Elizabeth Jamieson & Diane Gillan SILVER
- Ladies Doubles (Class 2) Sylvia Moffat & Linzi Finnigan SILVER
- Ladies Doubles (Class 3) Katrina Cochrane & Karen Lyttle GOLD
- Mixed Doubles (Class 1) Diane Gillan & Cameron Robertson GOLD
- Mixed Doubles (Class 2) Sylvia Moffat & James Pert GOLD, Katrina Cochrane & Drew Daly SILVER
Congratulations to the whole squad, including those who did not win a medal, and thank you to my assistants Donald & Mary Adie and other parents who contribute so much towards these Championships. Also a big thank you to Special Olympics Scotland West, South Lanarkshire Leisure, BadmintonScotland through Scottish Disability Badminton Group for their logistical and financial support, without it we just could not be so successful. Thanks also go to Welsh Badminton, and in particular Fiona Reid, for their organisation of the event.
The EKYDSC Medal Winners from Cardiff - Katrina, Ross, and Diane with Coach David Gillespie
Look out Ireland here we come, 21-23 November 2008