TAT’S MORE LIKE IT
Kirsty’s in best shape ever as she eyes gold and new body art marker
THE forearm is primed and not only for the range of smashes and drop shots Kirsty Gilmour hopes will help her claim Commonwealth Games glory.
The 28-year-old badminton ace has a permanent marker for every major medal in her sparkling career.
An ever-expanding tattoo on her left arm is the record with a dot for each occasion – and there’s plenty of room left for another.
Gilmour claimed silver at Glasgow 2014 and bronze in the Gold Coast four years ago.
Now she’s after a career-best gold. And the Bellshill star said: “I’m literally the fittest I’ve ever been and considering this is my fourth Games it’s a pretty good place to be.
“Do I want the gold? Absolutely. I feel confident. I was second seed in Glasgow but never really felt it. I was 20 and a bit naive. I got silver which exceeded my expectations to be honest.
“The Gold Coast came round and I wanted to prove the silver wasn’t a fluke. I wanted to show it was deserved. Now for this Games I don’t think I have anything to prove.
“I have a nice wee cushion, no intense pressure. In saying that I think the pressure brings the best out in me. As Billy Jean King said, pressure is a privilege.
“If I wasn’t any good I wouldn’t have any pressure on me. So yeah I want the gold. But there’s also five or six people vying realistically for the three medals. It’s a big ask but I’m doing everything possible to put the odds in my favour.
“The tattoo? There would be an extra dot on the forearm if I can manage to grab a medal. Every dot is a tournament win or a major medal. There’s 22 there right now.
“Saying that if I grab a gold I might get something bigger, something Birmingham related.
“I was thinking about a traffic cone for the silver in Glasgow! That might still happen. This feels like a home Games too so hopefully there’s a special ending again.”
Gilmour will have to overcome India’s heavily-fancied PV Sindhu and Michelle Li if she is to take top spot on the podium.
Li deprived the Scot of gold in 2014 but she got her revenge in the Gold Coast when she defeated the Canadian in the bronze medal match. But with the backing of Team Scotland Chef de Mission Elinor Middlemiss – herself a veteran of five Commonwealth Games badminton events – Gilmour is confident she can go one better than 2014.
She said: “I was 16 when I got chosen to go to Delhi and the change in me and badminton over that time is incredible.
“Glasgow 2014 was a big one and the manner I did it was big too. Winning the semi-final first set then being 19-11 down in the second set to come back and win 10 straight points – that just doesn’t happen in badminton!
“But strangely silver is the only medal you end on a loss. So arguably the bronze four years ago felt better because I got to win it.
“It’s a nice link that Elinor was a player. It gives a legitimacy to the sport. We’re a minority sport but trying to get more exposure and get people interested. Elinor gives us a bit more weight – and now I’m shooting for her five Commonwealth Games record!
“She said I should so it would be rude not to!”