Posted: Monday 11 May 2009

College Athletes Triumph at National Competition

Students Cameron Robertson and Deirdre Nagle have arrived home victorious after winning gold and silver medals at the Four Nations Disabled Badminton Championships held in Largs.

The win comes after 22 year old Cameron from Cumnock and 21 year old Deirdre from Kilmarnock swept the boards at last months Four Nations Disabled Badminton Championships in Liverpool. Both Cameron and Deirdre continued their winning streak at the Largs Inverclyde Centre with Cameron winning gold in the singles, doubles and mixed doubles in the learning disabilities categories and Deirdre winning gold in the doubles and silver in the mixed doubles and singles dwarf categories.

The Four Nations Championships have been taking place in cities all over the UK throughout the last 12 months with the next large scale event in the Deirdre's diary taking place in July at the World Dwarf Games. Deirdre will be competing in the Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles categories at the Games which are to be held in Belfast.

Deirdre, who is currently studying NQ Biomedical Science part-time and the CACDP (Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People) Level 2 Sign Language course part-time at Kilmarnock College, said: "I am really looking forward to the world championships in July. This will be my first ever world games! I've really enjoyed the last two championships in Liverpool and Largs. However the Largs competition was particularly enjoyable as I beat the British champion in the doubles category.

"I've always been interested in sports but it was through the Scottish Disability sports summer camp that I have attended for some years that my interest in Badminton was really strengthened. I'm finding juggling college and badminton ok, I attend badminton practice in Dundonald once a week but coming up to the championships this will be increased." Deirdre also added, "I am very lucky to have Ian Doolan as my coach. It has made an enormous difference to my training and my performances. Ian has been my coach since last August and has given his time on a totally voluntary basis. I am very grateful to Ian for all his support without it I would not have reached the level that I am now playing at. "

Like Deirdre, Cameron also successfully juggles his training with college work. Cameron, who is currently studying the part-time Preparation for a Career in IT and Business course at the college, goes to both badminton and basketball training every week.

Cameron said: "I have always been sporty and particularly enjoyed playing basketball and badminton from a young age. I have celebrated many successes in both badminton and basketball including a silver medal at the World Championships in Shanghai with my Glasgow based Basketball Team in 2007. Although I no longer play with the team, East Ayrshire Council also awarded me with a Quaich for my success in Shanghai. I now play with the Ayr Storm Basketball team and train once per week.

"However over the last few years badminton has became my number one priority and I was thrilled with my recent wins in Liverpool and Largs. I was also pleased with my win at the annual Bank of Scotland Junior National Badminton Championships held at Meadowbank at the beginning of April where I picked up a silver medal in the Under 23 Singles. I have been playing badminton for around 10 years now and hope to keep this going for quite some time yet."

For further information on courses available at Kilmarnock College please contact 01563 523501 or visit the courses section.

-END-

For more information, contact:
Denise Clark, Halogen Communications, (T) 0131 202 0120 (F) 0131 225 3757 (E) denise@halogencom.com

<  Return to news