Renicks relieved after Birmingham reprieve
KIMBERLEY RENICKS is thrilled to have landed a late call-up to Scotland’s Commonwealth Games judo squad after resigning herself to the likelihood she would be restricted to a spectator role.
The 34-year-old from Bellshill won gold in the 48kg at Glasgow 2014 so was devastated at the possibility of missing out on the Birmingham renewal this summer after moving up to 52kg and failing to do enough at her new weight to earn selection initially. However, Hannah Wood’s withdrawal through injury paved the way for Renicks – who had been on the reserve list – to be added to the squad.
“I’m over the moon,” she said. “I was disappointed not to be in the squad originally because some competitions had been cancelled and I couldn’t make some of them.
“I hadn’t performed my best leading into it but once the team had been selected I started performing a lot better and getting medals so I was a bit gutted.
“I’d applied for tickets so I was going to go down and watch and support the team. I would have stayed around as a training partner right up to the Games.
“But now I’ve been selected I’m just focused on getting to the village and then going into the fight.”
Renicks and her older sister Louise both won gold medals at Glasgow 2014 and now the younger sibling is focused on landing more silverware.
“Glasgow was the highlight of my career, especially getting a gold with my sister,” she said. “Judo wasn’t in the Gold Coast Games but now it’s back in as a core sport so that’s why I was really excited about the second one. In terms of having home support, it’s been good to have two home Games in Glasgow and Birmingham. I’m hoping to have a good wee crowd there to boost me.
“If I perform the way I did in 2014 I think I’ve got a good chance of getting a medal. That’s what I’m hoping for. I’ll just take it fight by fight but I have been watching the girls I might be fighting and having a look at their style.
“It’s just about performing to my best on the day and hopefully I can take my sister’s 52kg title from 2014.”