The 2018 Inter Area Bowls Test Match was held in Glasgow on Friday 29^th June, seeing bowlers with a learning disability from the West of Scotland going head to head with the visiting team from Fife.

The event, which is coordinated and organised by Scottish Disability Sport, was re-introduced to the national events calendar in 2015 to provide bowlers with a learning disability another competitive opportunity in the sport, supplementing the other national bowls events.  The event invites SDS member branches to submit a team of 12 bowlers (6 male and 6 female) who then play singles, pairs and triple matches against their peers from other parts of the country, aiming to accumulate enough points to be crowned team champions.

The 2018 event was scheduled to be hosted by Lothian Disability Sport, however the East of Scotland side were unable to field a full quota of players and were forced to withdraw from the event and subsequently postpone the hosting duties for another year.  This turn of events then led to the West of Scotland stepping in and volunteering to host the event, with Glasgow Disability Sport’s Liz Boyd instrumental in making this happen.  Liz’s home bowling club, Fairfield, was selected as the venue and must be commended on the welcoming, supportive and friendly environment created for all bowlers, team managers, coaches and volunteers who attended this year’s event.  The club were also kind enough to provide volunteer officials who stepped in to mark ties throughout the day.

The approach by the club, coupled with the extraordinary sunshine, provided the ideal platform for some excellent bowls to be played throughout the day.  In all, there were 24 ties played across two sessions with the visiting Fife team dominating from the offset as they raced into 19 – 5 lead as the event stopped for lunch.  This run of form continued in the second session with the Fifers claiming an 18 – 6 lead, resulting in a convincing win overall (37 – 11).  This victory was the fourth time the bowlers from Fife had claimed the trophy outright and highlights the strength of the bowls programme across the area.  Despite the result, there were some very close run matches and the players from West of Scotland can count themselves unfortunate on many occasions.

Thanks are extended to all team managers /coaches, volunteers, officials and of course the players for making the event a success and producing a great day of bowls.

A team of 9 plus coach Kaity Hall headed out to Dublin for the FZ Forza Irish Para-Badminton International held at the National Sports Arena Blanchardstown.

There were representatives in 4 out of the 6 classes with Colin Leslie and Alan Oliver SL3, David Purdie and Mary Wilson SL4, Fiona Christie WH2 and in SS6 Bobby Laing, Deirdre Nagle, Andrew Davis and making his international debut Jack Purvis.

Bobby Laing proved our most successful athlete with a Gold Medal in the mixed doubles SS6 event partnering England’s Rebecca Bedford. After a shaky start in the group stages the new pair overcame 2^nd seeds Miles Krajewski and Kathrine Valli from the USA in a convincing 21-5, 21-4 win to secure a place in the semi finals v top seeds Niall McVeigh of Ireland and Carmen Flores of Peru. In this thrilling 3 setter Bobby and Rebecca came out on top 21-11, 16-21, 23-21 to set up a final clash v unseeded Isaak Dalglish of England and Oliwia Szmigiel of Poland. In the end the Scots/ English duo came out as victors in a convincing 21-13, 21-15 finish, securing the pair, and Bobby’s, first international Gold Medal.

Our other medals came in the form of 2 bronze medals in the women’s WH1/WH2 doubles and SL3-SU5 women’s doubles. Playing with Canadian Yuko Chokyu, Fiona Christie overcame Russia’s Liusia Ignatenko and Irina Kuzmenko 21-13, 21-17 to secure their bronze medal. Playing with Frances Veronique Braud, Mary Wilson defeated Russia’s Ekaterina Oginskaya and Vita Vimba 21-13, 21-11 and Australia’s Caitlin Dransfeld and Celine Vinot 21-9, 21-12 to come away with the bronze medals.

Other members of the squad were very close in reaching the knock out stages of their respective events. Andrew Davies was edged out in the last 16 of the SS6 men’s singles 21-8, 21-7 by England’s Isaak Dalglish, as was Bobby Laing in an extremely close battle with England’s Andrew Martin 26-24, 21-16. In the Men’s SL3 singles Colin Leslie reached the quarter final stages before being put out by France’s Matthieu Thomas 21-4, 21-4. In the men’s doubles SL3-SL4 Alan Oliver and Sweeden’s Rickard Nilsson were defeated in the quarter finals by Indonesians Dwiyoko Dwiyoko and Fredy Setiawan 21-6, 21-12 to end their progression. Finally, in the WH1/WH2 Mixed doubles Fiona Christie partnering Finland Timo Villanen defeated first seeds in the group stages before losing out in the quarter finals to Israel’ s Amir Levi and Nina Gorodetzky 21-16 21-17.

We would like to thank all at Badminton Ireland, BWF, officials and volunteers for an excellently ran tournament once again.

For all tournament results please visit https://www.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/tournament.aspx?id=9163029C-E28E-4F54-ABF5-32C62028E700

To watch the matches please visit https://www.youtube.com/user/BadmintonIrelandTV

Hewett and Reid end Queen’s campaign on a high with doubles win after singles semi-final defeats

Great Britain’s Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid both missed out on the chance to reach the final of the first ever wheelchair tennis tournament at the Fever-Tree Championships, but maintained hopes of winning the men’s doubles with a convincing win over Spain’s Daniel Caverzaschi and Stefan Olsson of Sweden.

Sunday’s inaugural wheelchair tennis singles final at The Queen’s Club will see Sweden’s reigning Wimbledon champion Stefan Olsson play France’s US Open champion Stephane Houdet after they beat Hewett and Reid respectively in the men’s singles semi-finals.

Hewett was unable to capitalise on earning the first break of the opening set against Olsson and although the 20-year-old British No.1 and World No.2 battled back from 2-0 down to lead the second set, he met an in-form Olsson, with the world No.6  taking the last four games to complete a 6-3, 6-3 victory.

Reid enjoyed more success in the second semi-final, breaking Houdet in the last game of the opening set. However, the Frenchman made the decisive move deep in the second set to force the decider. With Reid missing the opportunity to level the final set at 2-2, Houdet went on to seal  a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory with an ace on match point.

Speaking after the match, Reid said: “It was quite a frustrating match for me because I felt like I started well.  I played a good first set and then there were chances for me to go out of reach in the second set and I didn’t take them.  I thought I was in control of the match, and most of the points were within my control but I wasn’t accurate enough to finish them off.

“I love playing on grass, and it is great to play on home turf as well – that has added an extra dimension to the matches here.  There are a lot of positives to take – it is great to some matches on grass and work out what needs to be improved on as well.”

The tournament ended on a high for the British pair however and they maintained their hopes of winning the men’s doubles round robin tournament with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Caverzaschi and Olsson to finish the doubles event with one win and won loss.

The reigning Wimbledon and US Open doubles champions showed their experience against the rookie partnership of Caverzaschi and Olsson, breaking their opponents’ serve to love on several occasions, including when closing out the first set and the match.

Both Brits were in positive mood after the match as they continue their build up to defending their Wimbledon crown, with Reid saying “It was really nice to end on a high and also a great performance.  I thought we dominated the match from start to finish and produced some of our best tennis.  It is great for the confidence, so all eyes on Wimbledon now.”

Partner Hewett echoed those thoughts, adding “It was good to bounce back.  Yesterday was a tough doubles – there were quite a few things we wanted to work on, and I think we came on today and played the tennis we wanted to play so that was very positive.

“Next for us is the exhibition match at Eastbourne on Friday – that will be a great demonstration to showcase the sport, like we have here this week.  To be given the chance once again to go to an event like that and play our sport is a great opportunity.”

Photos courtesy of the Tennis Foundation

Great Britain’s leading tennis players with a learning disability will be taking on the world’s best at the 2018 Inas World Championships in Paris from the 14^th to the 22^nd of July.

The Championships will see 40 of the world’s elite para-athlete tennis players with a learning disability compete to be crowned world champions in men’s and women’s singles and doubles, mixed doubles, and an overall team competition.

Players from nine nations will be competing, including players from Italy, France, Belgium & Australia.  The British team will comprise five players this year, with the following selected to represent their nation:

• Fabrice Higgins  (23 – Chorley, Lancashire)
• Dominic Iannotti (20 – Prestwick, Scotland)
• Thomas Mellor (28 – Cheltenham, Gloucestershire)
• Luke Turnbull ( 14 – North Berwick, Scotland)
• Anna McBride (14 –  Dunfermline, Scotland)

Fabrice Higgins, Dominic Ianotti & Thomas Mellor will all be looking to emulate last year’s success where team GB won a total of five medals, whilst Luke Turnbull & Anna McBride will be making their World Championships debut.

Coached by the Tennis Foundation’s Head of Coaching and Talent Karen Ross, selection for Great Britain’s Inas World Tennis Championships team is part of a high performance elite pathway for players with a learning disability, accessed through a strong collaboration between Britain’s leading tennis charity, the Tennis Foundation and the UK Sports Association (UKSA), the official Great Britain member of INAS. Commenting on the partnership, Tracey McCillen, Chief Executive of the UK Sports Association said:

 “The Tennis Foundation’s collaboration with UKSA to enable British athletes to compete at Inas Championships illustrates the real success that can be achieved if everyone moves forward together. Our collaboration spans a number of years and has enabled real success for British players who are amongst the best in the World. There is a powerful message here for sport across the UK that with a forward thinking approach and a commitment to a wider performance landscape beyond just Olympic and Paralympic that British athletes can and will achieve.”

Speaking ahead of the tournament, Tennis Foundation coach Ross added: “Great Britain is one of the leading nations for disability tennis and our record at the Inas World Championships is proof of that. We’ve had some great success in previous years and are looking to make this year the most triumphant yet!”

This year’s tournament is the ninth World Championships since the inaugural event in Australia in 2004. The tournament begins with an opening ceremony on Sunday 15^th July, with play starting from Monday 16^th July to Saturday 21^st July. The World Championships are part of the 2018 Inas European Summer Games –  a multi-sport event. To find out more about the Tennis Foundation’s work with disability tennis, visit http://www.tennisfoundation.org.uk or get in touch via info@tennisfoundation.org.uk.

Robyn Love is among 12 players selected to represent GB at the 2018 World Wheelchair Basketball Championships which are scheduled for 16^th-26^th August in Hamburg, Germany.

The 27 year old, who represented GB at the 2016 Paralympics is the sole Scot selected for the Championships and will be hoping to make her mark in Germany.  Love, known for her fierce rebounding skills and consistent shooting will be an integral part of the GB side who will be hoping to continue their run of good form, after recently claiming victory at the Lyon Wheelchair Basketball Competition.

Love, originally from Ayr, is part of a squad which is an exciting blend of youth and experience with nine of the twelve selected players having represented Paralympics GB in Rio two years ago.  The former Lothian Phoenix star began her journey as a wheelchair basketball player only 5 years ago after making contact with current basketballscotland’s Disability Talent and Pathways Manager Tina Gordon who set her on the successful journey to the top of the sport.  The 3.5 point player currently plays for Oldham Owls and Angels of the North.

Great Britain have been drawn alongside reigning champions Canada as well as Spain, Brazil, Australia and Netherlands in Pool A with the top four teams from each pool qualifying for the quarter final stage.  The medal games will be played on Saturday 25^th August.

A list of the GB Woman’s Pool A fixtures can be found below –

• Thursday 16^th August – Brazil (10.15am)
• Friday 17^th August – Canada (1.00pm)
• Sunday 19^th August – Spain (9.00am)
• Monday 20^th August – Australia (7.15pm)
• Wednesday 22^nd August – Netherlands (5pm)

More information on the slection for the World Championships can be found at www.britishwheelchairbasketball.co.uk.