Kirsty Gilmour Secures European Gold After Multiple Silvers
Kirsty Gilmour has finally claimed the European Badminton Championships gold medal, adding to her previous collection of five silver medals and one bronze. The 32-year-old Scottish player achieved this milestone in Huelva, Spain, on Sunday, just five weeks after recovering from a torn calf muscle.
In the final match, Gilmour defeated Denmark's Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt with scores of 21-17, 21-15. Prior to this victory, Gilmour had been runner-up in the years 2016, 2017, 2022, 2024, and 2025, and earned a bronze medal in 2021.
Return from Injury
Discussing her comeback from injury, Gilmour spoke to BBC Scotland:
"I was off my feet for two or three weeks and slowly getting back on court.
"I didn't play any practice points until the Sunday and the tournament started on Wednesday.
"I was just relying on the experience I've put behind me in the past 25 years and I knew if I played decent badminton that I could do it. It was a nerve-holding exercise in part.
"There's no such thing as perfect preparation, so much of a championship like this is a mental game."
Upsetting the Top Seed
Seeded fifth in the tournament, Gilmour managed to upset the top-ranked Kjaersfeldt to claim the title. Reflecting on her mindset before the final, she said:
"I was really not scared to get another silver.
"If that was going to be my story, I was totally fine. That's also pretty good.
"I saw a post on Instagram saying it was like Leo [Leonardo DiCaprio] finally getting his Oscar, so it feels a bit like that."
