Academy celebrate sporting success

May 28 2008

STRATHAVEN Academy pupils this year continue to enjoy success in a variety of sports.

In swimming, Douglas Scott (16), from Hills Road, has qualified for the European Championships with a personal best and British age group record time for the 100 metre breast stroke.

Douglas is currently Britain’s number one 16-year-old breast stroke swimmer.

He will travel to Belgrade in July for the European Junior Swimming Championships.

He was also voted East Kilbride Sports Council Personality of the Year in the male under-18 category.

His younger sister Corrie Scott (14), who is also making a splash in swimming, has been selected to represent South Lanarkshire in the International Children’s Games in San Francisco in July.

Corrie won the 100 metre breast stroke in the British Championships.

In Judo, Darren Wood (14) from Orchard Gardens, has over the last few weeks competed in Sheffield for the European Trials, in an international tournament and training camp in Bremen with the National Judo Squad and is now also a member of the West of Scotland Institute of Sport.

Last September he won gold at both the Heart of England and Scottish Championships under 15s in band C under 66kg categories.

He also took bronze in last year’s Irish Open and Dutch Open Championships, adding to his previous titles in September 2006 where he won gold at the Scottish Age band title and the Scottish Championships in November 2006.

His next goal is to take part in the European Youth Olympics Festival in July next year.

In Kendo, Ross Thompson and Kyle Brogan were selected to represent Great Britain at an international Kendo event in Helsinki.

The Strathaven Academy Junior Curling Team members, all S3 pupils, Alan Nelson, Euan Paterson, Stuart Anderson, Hazel Smith and Alison Marshall (S5), were congratulated by the school for their efforts in the Scottish Schools’ Curling Championships in Edinburgh.

Elspeth Banks, head teacher, said: “We are very proud of all of our pupils who are doing well in sports and we celebrate each of their achievements.

“The school is behind them all 100 per cent.”