The 2017 Disability Sport Fife (DSF) Badminton Championships supported by the Fife Sports and Leisure Trust and Fife Council were held at Kirkcaldy Leisure Centre on Wednesday 15th March. In attendance as a special guest was Julie Hogg, wife of the late Russell Hogg, who was a major influence on the development of disability badminton in Fife.
Julie Hogg and Alex Bird lead weekly disability badminton sessions at Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre and the Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre on behalf of DSF. Participant numbers continue to rise steadily and this is reflected in the numbers entered for the Fife Championships. Over 60 signed up this year for one of 12 singles sections.
Balwearie HS and Lochgelly HS heavily populated the junior sections with smaller representations from Glenrothes HS and Levenmouth Academy. In the senior sections West Fife CSS and Scottish Autism had strong entries along with the two DSF badminton sessions in central and West Fife making up the bulk of the entry.
The junior results were:
- S1/S2 boys – Jason Rennie Lochgelly HS winner – Acaymo Llanos Balwearie HS runner up
- S3 boys – Larson McKeon Balwearie HS winner – Shakeel Ul Haq Lochgelly HS runner up
- S4 boys – Alex Evans Balwearie HS winner – Dylon McKay Levenmouth Academy runner up
- S5/S6 boys – Craig Wight Glenrothes HS winner – Reece Dickson Balwearie HS runner up
- S3 girls – Rosalind Penman Balwearie HS winner – Courtney Morris Lochgelly HS runner up
- S4/S6 girls – Louise Harley Lochgelly HS winner – Caitlyn De Soyza Balwearie HS runner up
The senior results were:
- Senior women A – winner Mary Wilson – Pauline Bryson runner up
- Senior women B – Briony Clark winner – Colleen Turner runner up
- Senior men A – Lloyd Simpson winner – Steven Anderson runner up
- Senior men B – Ryan Melville winner – Philip Callander runner up
- Senior men C – Wayne Sammut winner – Jamie Thomas runner up
- Senior men D – James Murphy winner – Christopher Cook runner up
Sportsmanship awards were presented to Ryan Pollock Lochgelly HS, Caitlyn De Soyza Balwearie HS and Robert Anderson from Glenrothes.
The Antwerp Trophy was presented to Balwearie HS for accumulating the most points over all the junior sections. Lochgelly HS finished second and Glenrothes HS third.
Lloyd Simpson and Mary Wilson were awarded the mens and women’s open championships trophies.
Richard Brickley MBE
President, Disability Sport Fife