Gilmour strikes gold at European Championships in Huelva
Scotland’s Kirsty Gilmour produced a career-defining performance to win her first women’s singles title at the European Badminton Championships in Huelva, Spain.
The 32-year-old finally captured European gold after years of near-misses, defeating Denmark’s Line Kjærsfeldt in straight games, 21–17, 21–15, in the final.
The victory marks a landmark moment in Gilmour’s career, having previously collected multiple silver medals at the championships without reaching the top of the podium.
Competing at the Palacio de los Deportes Carolina Marín, Gilmour showed composure and attacking intent throughout the final, controlling key rallies to secure the biggest title of her career.
This triumph represents a significant turnaround from her previous appearance in a European Championship final. At the 2025 edition, Gilmour finished runner-up after losing to Kjærsfeldt 16–21, 17–21.
Speaking after the match, Gilmour said:
“It’s hard to put into words what this means. I’ve been so close so many times, and to finally get over the line is incredibly special. I trusted my game, stayed patient, and gave everything out there. This is a moment I’ll never forget.
I would like to thank all the coaches and support staff that have helped me over the last few months to prepare for the Europeans with a special thanks to Badminton Scotland’s new singles coach Raj Ouseph, who was in my corner for all the matches”
Badminton Scotland Head coach Ingo Kindervater praised her achievement, adding:
“Kirsty has shown incredible resilience and professionalism over many years. To come back from previous finals and deliver a performance like this speaks volumes about her character. She executed the game plan perfectly and fully deserved this title.”
Her performance was widely praised as the culmination of years of persistence at the highest level of European badminton, finally converting repeated silver medals from finals appearances into gold.
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