Youth Team Scotland celebrated two silver medals on the Apia Park tennis courts to end their Commonwealth Youth Games experience on a high.
With all other competition finished the team were out in force to support Ewen Lumsden in the boys’ singles final and to cheer as Ewen and mixed doubles partner Louie McLelland collected the Silver medal they had won the previous evening.
The pair have had phenomenal success this week with wins in both the men’s and women’s doubles as Ewen teamed up with a partner from Cyprus and Louie with Barbados to lift the titles. While not a medal event due to the mixing of nations, competition was fierce and the wins set the Scottish pair up nicely as they came together to win Silver in the mixed doubles.
It was an incredible run in the tournament for a pair who had never played together before this week. The Indian top seeds proved just too strong in the final but both Ewen and Louie were ecstatic to come away with a medal.
“It’s been a really good week, said Louie. “It’s the first time I’ve ever played with Ewen and I think we played well together, it didn’t take too long to adjust. It’s definitely one of the best moments of my career and whatever I do next I’ll feel a bit more confident in myself. I’m so proud to be Scottish and so happy to represent my country. It’s a great feeling to get a medal as well, a great way to finish.”
Ewen met a familiar face in the singles final, his 18 year old opponent one half of the Indian duo who had beaten the Scots to the mixed doubles Gold. Ewen started strongly with the opening game going to deuce on multiple occasions. He showed flashes of brilliance as he put some unplayable shots past his opponent but on this occasion found his older opponent too strong, losing out 6-1, 6-2.
“When I came here I probably didn’t think I would make it to the final,” he said. “It feels good to come away with two Silver medals. I’m happy to have some medals of my own after seeing others coming back with theirs and I enjoyed having all my team mates out supporting me today. Overall I’m happy with how I’ve played, it’s been a good tournament and a good experience.”
The tennis medals mean that Youth Team Scotland end Samoa 2015 with 21 medals; three Gold, ten Silver and eight Bronze.