Dunn heading for the Gold Coast sun
Badminton youngster earns Scotland call-up
Teenage Motherwell badminton player Alex Dunn is “over the moon” to have been selected to represent Scotland at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Dunn, 19, discovered at the start of the month that he would be jetting off to Melbourne to compete in the 2018 Games as part of the country’s eightstrong badminton squad.
And speaking to the Wishaw Press from a training camp in Thailand, the young star said he was still pinching himself after a momentous day which included smashing his way to his first two national titles.
“I found out I’d made the team just after the Scottish Nationals had been played, where I won my first two titles in the doubles and mixed, so it was a really great day for me,” the former Dalziel High pupil said.
“I was over the moon to be selected. It’s been an extremely busy and hard working year to get to this point and now I can’t wait.”
Alex will compete alongside more than 200 other sportsmen and women as part of Team Scotland.
He is buzzing to represent his country and is hoping to help Scotland break the 30-medal mark for the first time.
“I absolutely love playing for Scotland when I get the chance to. As much as badminton is an individual sport, it is always special to play for your country.
“I will be competing in doubles and mixed doubles but my main priority is the men’s doubles.
“A medal is my target for sure. We are currently trying to get a top-four seed position to give us the best chance of bringing home a medal.”
Alex is with the rest of the Scottish badminton team, including frequent playing partner Adam Hall, on a two-week training camp in Thailand.
He has two tournaments, the Austrian and German Opens, which he will be targeting to help qualify for a top four spot.
While his idol in the sport is superstar Lin Dan, Alex is also looking forward to having the experience of teammate Kirsty Gilmour, who won silver in the last Commonwealth Games, to draw on.
He said: “Kirsty is a person to look up to having got a medal at the last games and she competes at the highest level.
“With Kirsty in the team she can help all of us as she has played in the tight pressure matches so she can give us an advice to help us get through them.”
Also supporting Alex will be his father John, mum Gail and older brother Robert.
He added: “I’m so happy they’ll see me at my first big multi-sport event.
“They are my biggest supporters and always encourage me. It’s not often they get to see me compete so it will be a really nice moment.”
The competition will take place from April 5 to 15 at the Carrara Sports and Leisure Centre.