Outstanding success all round for the Lothian's at the recent 4 Nations Para-Badminton Championships - a total of 13 medals – 8 gold and 5 silver.
Lothian Disability Badminton Club enjoyed some outstanding success at the recent 4 Nations Para-Badminton Championships at the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Centre, Motherwell, winning a total of 13 medals – 8 gold and 5 silver.
A large representation of Club players from both Musselburgh and Bathgate sections competed in all categories and overall the players achieved some fantastic results with our best ever medal tally of 13 medals from any 4 Nations Para-Badminton event.
South Queensferry’s Fiona Christie won a title treble in singles, doubles and mixed doubles in the wheelchair events. In the women’s singles a convincing 21/1 21/14 final win over England’s Sharon Jones-Barnes secured her first title before Christie teamed up with Ireland’s Laura-Lee Jenkins to beat Jones-Barnes and Lothian Disability Club member Suzanne Teague who won her first silver medal. In Christie’s third final she teamed up with Owen Kilburn (England) to win a thrilling three set match and lift her third gold medal.
In the SL3 Standing Men’s singles Alan Oliver also won gold but unfortunately did not play his final when England’s Daniel Bethell pulled out through injury and club members Colin Leslie and Niall Jarvie also reached the semi-final stages.
Oliver then teamed up with Anthony Forster (England) to win silver in the men’s doubles when James Binnie (England) and Jack Wilson (Wales) edged them out in an exciting final 21/18 11/21 21/15.
In the SS6 (small stature) junior event Ross Foley and Andrew Davies teamed up together and after a thrilling three set match won the gold medal in the boys doubles 21/12 20/22 21/15 against England’s Daniel Allen and Nima Ghavami.
In the Learning Disability (LD) events Jenny Gray (North Berwick) reached all three finals winning gold in the ladies singles beating England’s Nikki Welch 21/13 21/15 and in the ladies doubles partnered Claire O’Neill (Ireland) to win a silver medal.
In her third final she partnered club member 12 year old Michael McCraw (Mayfield) in the mixed doubles where they just lost out in the final to win silver against Glasgow’s Derek Tomkinson and Kerry Duncan 21/13 22/20.
In his second final of the day McCraw partnered Glasgow’s Joseph McLaughlin to win gold comfortably 21/6 21/4 in the LD Class 3 men’s doubles.
In the LD Class 3 Singles McCraw also reached the semi-final stages along with club member Richard Chamberlain who after making his debut appearance only lost out 21/17 at the semi-final stage to the eventual winner Lloyd Crawley (Wales).
A special mention must also go to Connell Greenhorn (Bathgate) who won gold in his first event when he won the men’s singles in LD Class 2 event beating Ireland’s Gary Bailiie 21/18 21/18.
East Lothian Badminton Development Officer Christine Black and President of Lothian Disability Badminton Club would like to congratulate all 16 players for their performances throughout the tournament and also the outstanding club record of 13 medals!
