European silver for Gilmour in Denmark
Kirsty Gilmour won women’s singles silver at the European Championships in Horsens, Denmark.
It’s the latest honour in a glittering career which has seen Scotland’s number one bag numerous medals in European and Commonwealth competition to become one of Scotland’s most decorated badminton players in history.
Since 2016, Gilmour has won six silver and two bronze medals in European competition. She also won Commonwealth silver at Glasgow 2014, Commonwealth bronze in 2018, and represented Team GB three times at Rio, Tokyo and Paris.
The latest medal to be added to her collection did not come without its challenges. Battling with back pain throughout the event, at the start of the competition any colour of medal seemed improbable.
But you can never count Gilmour out and once again her determination and will to win served her well.
After a first round bye, the third seed started with a comprehensive 21-6 21-11 win over England’s Freya Redfearn, following that up by beating Belgium’s Clara Lassaux 21-11 21-15 to reach the quarter-finals and a tough match against Yvonne Li.
Li took the first set 21-19 and when the German opened a 15-10 lead in the second, the prospect of a medal for Gilmour seemed unlikely.
But the Scot refused to give in, winning seven points in a row on her way to winning the second game 21-19, before dominating the third 21-8 to take victory and guarantee a semi-final spot and a bronze medal.
Not satisfied with bronze, Gilmour was always in control of the semi-final and booked her place in the final with a 21-15 21-11 win over Vivien Sandorhazi.
But the top spot of the podium eluded her when top seed and home hope Line Kjaersfeldt delighted the home crowd, winning 21-16 21-17 to take the gold.
Reflecting on her success Gilmour said: “It was an unbelievably tough week. I’ve spent a lot of hours on the physio table trying to find one good hour each day from my back.
“I know on paper this is another silver medal but I overcame so much this week. I think it will take me some time to reflect on this one.”
Full results can be found on Badminton4U