My focus remains on staying positive despite axed funding
On Monday, British badminton’s leading women’s singlesplayerKirsty Gilmourreceivedconfirmationthatshe wouldnolongerreceive supportfrom UK Sport. Yesterday, the CommonwealthGamesandEuropeanChampionship sincetheOlympicsinRio.
Hereshereflectsonwhathasbeenan emotionalrollercoasterof aweekand howsheintendstocontinuetopursue herdreams,withalittlehelpfromher friendsintheScottishbadmintonand sportingcommunities. IT’S difficult for me to articulate all the feelings I have had in the last week.
On the one hand I feel frustration and disappointment that badminton lost its appeal against UK Sport’s decision to cut all funding for the next Olympic cycle. For me, this means losing my steady income that allows me to completely invest myself in training, and a full tournament programme which is necessary to build up points in order to compete in an Olympic Games.
On the other hand however, Badminton Scotland announced yesterday that the World Championships this coming August will be available to view live on the BBC. This is monumental. This is what the sport deserves. So, you can understand the mixed emotions that are currently swirling around.
I promised myself I would keep this positive, but I think it’s important to say that sport is many things.
The vast majority of the population engage with it as a way to keep fit and perhaps forge friendships. Then, as we delve deeper and add a competitive element, sport becomes a way to set goals, improve communication, teamwork, self-reliance, problem-solving and other meaningful skills.
This doesn’t just apply to badminton of course. This is all sports. The very top, elite, world-class level does not function without the six-year-old children picking up a racket or kicking a ball for the first time. And vice versa. Without Olympic and Paralympic heroes, role models cannot be viewed by beginners across the nation with the hope that one day that will be them.
On a personal level, I now have to channel some energy into finding income elsewhere but I will stick as closely as possible to my previously planned journey to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. There will be a bit of fat-trimming and more strategic choices here and there but with the help of Badminton Scotland and Sport Scotland I still have my sights firmly set on my goals.
Yesterday, I won my first match in international competition here at the Austrian Open since Rio. After getting back into action at the Yonex Scottish National Championships this month this was always going to be a step up and I’m satisfied with the way the opening round went, beating Sweden’s Sofie Holmboe Dahl in straight sets.
I felt a bit rusty and she made it pretty tough, pulling it back to 9-9 from 9-4 and getting it back to 16-14 in the second from 15-8, but I was glad with the way I responded and getting this first win has tipped my emotional balance to happy. I’m choosing to deal with everything by focusing on the small things and taking them step by step.
This is all helped by the fact I have started working with a new coach, Tat Meng Wong which requires a lot of figuring each other out. So it’s baby steps for now, but those baby steps are always moving forward.