ANNE Gibson, the five times Scottish badminton champion, has been
selected to play singles for Scotland at the World Team championships at
the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow from February 19 to 26, despite the fact that
she has been sidelined for several months with a fractured foot and has
not played in a competitive event this year.
The Dumfries internationalist's experience and reputation is such that
current form was a secondary consideration for the selectors.
''Anne has proved herself over the past few years,'' said the Scottish
Badminton Union's director of coaching and development, Allan Campbell.
''She can defeat some of the best players in the world on her day,''
he added.
Gibson will be joined by 22-year-old David Gilmour, who, in contrast,
has enjoyed an enviable season.
With four titles to his credit already after a dearth of five years
without a win, Gilmour has returned to form and firmly shaken off any
vestige of the back injury which blighted his game for several seasons.
The mixture of youth and experience which the singles players exhibit
is, in fact, the keynote for the rest of the team.
Up-and-coming young players like Bruce Flockhart mix with seasoned
internationalists Jenny Allen and Kenny Middlemiss, a combination which
Campbell regards as a winning one.
''In all my years of coaching I believe we now have the best strength
and depth to the team we have ever had,'' he enthused.
With such confidence in the team from those in the know, Scotland
could well win their section, an achievement which they have never
managed but one which would earn them the rich award of a place in the
final stages of European competition and a chance to be one of three
countries travelling to Indonesia in May for the Thomas and Uber Cup
finals.
Meanwhile, Gilmour will be one of Scotland's under-23 squad lining up
today at the Cockburn Centre in Glasgow for the side's annual clash with
the British Police. Scottish teams:
Thomas Cup -- B Flockhart (Dunfermline), D Gilmour (Hamilton), A Gatt
(Edinburgh), G Haldane (Kirkcaldy), R Hogg (Dunfermline), J Mailer
(Stirling), K Middlemiss (Edinburgh).
Uber Cup -- E Allen (Edinburgh), J Allen (Edinburgh), A Gibson
(Marlow), J Haldane (Kirkcaldy), G Martin (Barnt Green), A Travers
(Perth).
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