September Young Athlete
20th October 2004

With Silver medal success at the recent Olympics for British badminton, the profile of the sport is on a high and rising Scottish star, Calum Menzies, is determined to benefit.

Named this week as the ‘Young Scottish Athlete of the Month’ by the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland in association with the Army in Scotland and the Daily Record, Menzies has his eye on future Commonwealth and Olympic glory.

After moving to Falkirk from Peterhead to work with former Scottish Champion, Bruce Flockhart and Scottish Institute of Sport coach, Ray Stevens, the 18 year old Central Institute of Sport athlete has been rewarded with some outstanding performances. Already dominant in singles events at a junior level, he recently broke through in Open competitions, putting defending champion and Commonwealth Games medallist, Graham Simpson out of the West of Scotland Open.

'‘Its been some year’ said Menzies, ‘I’ve just been training in Bulgaria and now I’m looking forward to testing myself against Malaysia, India and the other top Badminton countries at Commonwealth Youth Games in Australia in November. I’m just starting out in my career and there is a lot to learn. The next step is getting my first Scottish senior cap. International singles play is tough but I’m up for it’.

Coach Flockhart who dominated mens singles in Badminton for the last ten years sees the potential for his protégé to go to the top. ‘He’s got the ability and the attitude, all he needs now is the experience’.

In common with all the Young Athlete of the Month winners, Calum will receive an award of an Army sponsored training grant of £200.