West Fife badminton star Calum Flockhart impresses at Babolat Dunfermline Championships to reach last eight

The 15-year-old was one of four local players to perform at the annual event, which attracted some of Scotland’s most promising youngsters to compete at the Carnegie Leisure Centre.

Held over two days on Saturday and Sunday, the event is one of the oldest and most prestigious in the Scottish badminton calendar and featured players of the calibre of Grimley twins Christopher and Matthew, who both enjoyed European success last year.

The West Fife quartet all performed admirably throughout the event, which included men’s women’s singles and doubles and mixed doubles, but Flockhart’s star shone brightest.

After winning his first round match, he then took on Sameer Amir – ranked 12th in Scotland – and posted an excellent victory before only succumbing to eventual winner Christopher Grimley in the last eight, who then defeated brothers Ciar and Adam Pringle respectively.

In the women’s singles, there was a surprise winner in the shape of Brittany Ashton, who defeated Caitlin Pringle – who had previously knocked out top seed Lauren Middleton – in three games in the semi-finals.

Basia Grodynska, who had survived a marathon semi-final with Rachel Cameron, was Ashton’s opponent in the final and she came out on top.

Adam Hall had a double win with Alex Dunn in the men’s doubles, proving just too strong for defending champions the Grimley twins, and in the mixed doubles with Ciara Torrance, where they overpowered youngsters Adam Pringle and Rachel Andrew.

With only six entries in the women’s doubles, the event was played in two pools of three, with Rebekka Findlay and Caitlin Pringle, Pool A winners, defeating Lauren Middleton and Sarah Sidebottom, winners of Pool B, in a two-game final.

While this year’s event was a success, tournament organisers Dunfermline Badminton Association are on the lookout for a sponsor, with high hall rental costs and other overheads meaning they are “finding it hard to compete with the prize money offered at similar events”. Anybody interested in sponsoring the event should contact the association through their Facebook page.