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Big Hit Badminton Festival

Christine Black hosted the Big Hit Festival at Meadwomill Sports Centre and a great time was had by all!

Christine Black hosted the “Big Hit” Badminton Festival at Meadowmill Sports Centre on Wednesday 18 January with local golf star Catriona Matthew. See the official news release below. A great fun festival for the children!

Catriona Matthew becomes third ambassador for Glasgow 2017

BADMINTONscotland stepped up its countdown to the TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017 to be staged in Glasgow in August by today naming Scottish golf star Catriona Matthew MBE as the tournament’s newest Official Ambassador.

Catriona joins Scotland and Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon and Scotland and Glasgow Warriors rugby star Finn Russell as Ambassadors who are promoting the Championships and BADMINTONscotland’s Legacy programme in the build-up to the world’s best players appearing at the Emirates Arena from 21-27 August.

To mark her appointment Catriona, the 2009 British Open champion and a member of the Team GB golf squad at last year’s Rio Olympics, today joined more than 100 schoolchildren from Sanderson’s Wynd Primary School who were taking part in the latest Big Hit Festival at Tranent’s Meadowmill Sports Centre - and it brought back memories of her time as a junior badminton player before turning to golf.

Catriona, the first woman to be included in Scottish golf’s Hall of Fame, said: “It was marvellous to see first hand the enthusiasm the children showed at this latest Big Hit Festival. It’s fantastic that BADMINTONscotland are getting them involved at such a young age.

“I played a lot of badminton at school in North Berwick and went on to represent Scotland at junior international level. Perhaps the hand-eye coordination required for badminton stood me in good stead when I turned to golf. My two girls are already trying golf but at school I am sure there is a chance to do badminton as well and I will be urging them to give it a go.”

Anne Smillie, Chief Executive of BADMINTONscotland, said: “We are thrilled to have Catriona on board and, just like Craig and Finn, she has seen first hand what we are trying to achieve with our Big Hit Festivals. The ultimate aim of our World Championships Legacy Programme is to introduce more than 30,000 schoolchildren to badminton and create a sustainable legacy.

“The Big Hits also fit in well with the BWF’s global initiative Shuttle Time and, by hosting our third World Championships since 1997, this is just the opportunity we need to showcase our great sport and encourage the next generation of potential Scotland stars who can follow in the footsteps of Kirsty Gilmour, Imogen Bankier and Robert Blair.”

 

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