Team Scotland Badminton Team Hit First Shuttles in Gold Coast Venue
Team Scotland’s eight-strong group of Badminton players was the first to take to the courts in the $105m Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre, the venue which will host the Badminton competition for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Players tested out the five competition courts during an afternoon session, swapping the Gold Coast heat for the air-conditioned indoor sports hall.
The same venue hosted the 2017 Total BWF Sudirman Cup in May of last year, meaning the 2018 Games marks a second visit to the facility for some of the players.
The Badminton team hit the ground running, taking part in their first training session on the same day they arrived in the Gold Coast – meaning they were the first country to hit shuttles on the competition courts.
Martin Campbell, Men’s and Mixed Doubles player from Glasgow, said: “We were at the Sudirman Cup event here in 2017, but it’s amazing to see how different the hall looks now – it’s a great set-up.
“This will be my second Games, however there will be some pretty big differences compared to Glasgow! In 2014 I was still relatively early in my Badminton career and was the youngest member of the squad. This time around I have a lot more experience under my belt and know that puts me in the best possible position to go out there and make a mark.
“As a team, we’re playing really strongly and I know we’ll do our best – and if that means walking away with medals then we’ll obviously be very happy with that!”
As one of sixteen teams invited to compete in the Mixed Team Event, Scotland will play in all six medal events in this year’s Badminton competition, with the other five events consisting of Singles and Doubles for both Men and Women, and Mixed Doubles.
Eleanor O’Donnell, making her Commonwealth debut in the Mixed and Women’s Doubles, said: “This is only my second time away from home competing with the national team so I really am very happy to be here.
“We’ve all been training every day since we arrived in the Gold Coast, and my Doubles partner Julie and I had a good few competitions in the lead-up to the Games so I feel we’re in really good shape for the upcoming competition.
“We’ve played quite a few of the other teams before – however we’re not taking anything for granted and will be sure to go out on to the courts each day and give the best performance we can.”
Badminton will be competed across each day of the Games, with the Mixed Team event taking place between 5th – 9th April, and the Singles and Doubles matches between 10th – 15th April.