GILMOUR IS MY GUIDING LIGHT
Badminton star Kirsty helps Games debutant Torrance cope with the evils of online abuse
WHEN Kirsty Gilmour steps out to compete at the Commonwealth Games, she will offer more than just a strong medal hope for Team Scotland.
Among the nation’s badminton squad, there will be a buzz and excitement at having the 28-year-old as their leading light on one of the biggest stages again — beginning with her role tonight as a flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony.
After all, she is on a personal mission to go for gold having secured a silver medal at Glasgow 2014 and bronze at the Gold Coast four years ago.
But individual glory will not distract Gilmour from another vital role — as the battle with the darker elements of her sport continues to be fought.
In November last year, she told Sportsmail of the horrendous abuse she receives on social media. Faced with disgusting online messages — including threats of death, rape and violence — she revealed that players are often targeted by trolls who have placed bets on badminton matches.
Eight months later, the situation continues to be depressingly familiar.
Ciara Torrance is just one of the hopefuls who now looks up to Gilmour as both a friend and team-mate for valuable advice.
The 22-year-old is preparing to make her Commonwealth Games debut after being selected as one of nine badminton players in the squad who will represent Team Scotland in Birmingham.
Torrance can’t stop smiling as she speaks to Sportsmail and expresses her excitement ahead of representing her country.
But while she is discussing the impact of Gilmour — both on and off the court — her own personal experience of online abuse becomes clear.
‘I’m pretty good friends with Kirsty now, which is a bit weird because a few years ago I was probably scared of her, more than anything!’ says Torrance. ‘We have chats all the time about some of the messages she’s received.
‘This year was one of the first times that I’ve received a message when somebody sent me hate because I lost a match.
‘It’s definitely difficult to deal with when you are fresh off the court and emotions are high. But Kirsty is really good at dealing with stuff like that, so it’s great to have her for support.
‘It was horrible. I lost a pretty close match, came off the court feeling gutted and then you receive these hate comments, with somebody telling you: “You should die”. It’s crazy. It’s like when people are betting money and then they’re losing money because you’ve lost a match.
‘That almost adds pressure to you because you don’t want to receive things like that. Sport should be about enjoying yourself and expressing yourself through your sport.’
The unsavoury comments online have brought unwelcome pressure to players who are desperate to deliver at the highest level on the court.
Torrance, therefore, is grateful to have the backing of Gilmour, who won a silver medal at the European Championships earlier this year. But what advice does she offer? ‘She’s classic: “Block them and move on”,’ continues Torrance. ‘You don’t even know the person, they don’t know you, so block them and move on.
‘Even having someone with her experience at tournaments with us, she is really good at keeping you on the straight and narrow.
‘She is coming into this Commonwealth Games with two individual medals behind her. In the past few years, that has motivated everybody to have a big push to win more medals for the team and the country.’
Torrance (below), who won a bronze medal at the European Women’s Team Championships in 2020, still remembers the joy of Glasgow 2014 and being inspired by Gilmour competing at a home Games.
She can’t wait to now share the stage and wear the colours of Team Scotland in Birmingham.
‘I remember going to watch the badminton in Glasgow and I was watching Kirsty,’ recalls Torrance. ‘She had this massive comeback against a Malaysian girl. I remember sitting with my dad and thinking: “This is amazing”.
‘I was only 14 or 15 at the time, so to see the crowd in Glasgow get behind her was amazing as well. It made me want to be on that court and to get to the point where I’m competing for a medal for my country.
‘It doesn’t feel like eight years ago — not at all. Maybe a couple of years ago at most.
‘This year, it’s almost on our doorstep with it being in Birmingham. That will be great because lots of people will travel. Most of my family and friends are coming to support the team which will be amazing.
‘At the Gold Coast in 2018, I think only a few family members went over with the team last time to support. This year will be special because
we’ll have the support of family and friends behind the court when we need it. ‘Through Covid and in the first lockdown we couldn’t train for a couple of months. We could only train outdoors. There was a really big push when we got back to absolutely hammer training and focus on the Commonwealth Games.’
Naturally, Torrance is aiming high in Birmingham and hopes her debut Games will be one to remember.
‘It’s great to represent Scotland because it’s special to everybody,’ she adds. ‘I’m definitely hunting for a medal — and if it could be gold then that would be amazing. I don’t think that’s out of reach at all.
‘In the team event, we could definitely grab a medal for Scotland as well which would be amazing.’