The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Angus squash star Aitken off to Gold Coast with Scotland.
GOLD COAST: Montrose squash player and Dundee gymnast added to Team Scotland
Montrose squash player Lisa Aitken and Dundee gymnast Sofia Ramzan have become late additions for Team Scotland in the Commonwealth Games.
On the day athletes and staff gathered in Dunblane for the final team camp before the Gold Coast Games at the start of April, Lisa and Sofia were confirmed as part of the 211-strong travelling party on the back of their impressive recent performances.
Sofia, 17, took three individual silver medals, including the all-around, at the 2017 Scottish Artistic Gymnastics Championships and joins Cara Kennedy, Shannon Archer and Isabella Tolometti in the women’s team event.
With Australia her first experience of Commonwealth Games competition, she will look to build on recent international success, having taken three medals at the Malar Cup International plus a gold and bronze at the Stormarn Cup last year.
Lisa reached the quarter-finals of the women’s and mixed doubles at the Delhi 2010 games and returns to Team Scotland after an incredible comeback from serious illness.
Dengue fever contracted while competing at the Malaysian Open in the summer of 2014 derailed her sporting ambitions for more than two years, but she has made her mark in recent months winning her first World Tour title at the New Zealand Classic in June and adding a second at the PWC Open in October.
She will play women’s doubles in Gold Coast alongside 21-year-old Alison Thomson – reigning Scottish champion in women’s and mixed Doubles – and mixed Doubles with Kevin Moran.
Both Aitken and Thomson will also play in the women’s singles.
The overwhelming majority of Scottish athletes were in attendance at Dunblane yesterday, the first coming together of all 18 sports.
Information ranging from travel, acclimatisation and health to living in the athletes’ village and performing at a multi-sport games was on the agenda.
Team Scotland 2018 also had the chance to hear from past athletes as they shared their experiences and passed on their top tips for a successful games.
The day ended with the all-important collection of the team kit.
Jon Doig, Team Scotland chef de mission, said: “Today has been a fantastic opportunity for athletes and staff to get to know each other and come together as one team before heading to Australia over the coming weeks.
“The information they have received will stand them in great stead for Gold Coast, and we hope they leave inspired and ready to perform with distinction as we aim for our best overseas games in history.”