Kirsty Gilmour takes 'highest-quality' silver medal at European Championships

Lanarkshire duo Kirsty Gilmour and Alex Dunn claimed silver medals at the 2022 European Championships in Madrid.

Gilmour, from Bothwell, won her fourth European medal and third silver, while Motherwell’s Dunn and partner Alex Hall of Mauchline became the first Scottish doubles pair to compete at a European final, but came up short.

Just as in 2016 and 2017, Gilmour came up against old foe Carolina Marin of Spain, who won in straight sets.

Marin, making a hotly-anticipated return to the sport after injury, won a sixth title 21-10 21-12.

Kirsty, 28, however, upgraded the bronze she won last year in Kyiv, and enjoyed some good wins, including against second seed Mia Blichfeldt of Denmark.

She said: “I think if I look back on all of my silver medals, this is probably my highest-quality one, if you look at the line-up of the podium.

“To beat Mia in the semi-finals was a really good one to check off and not have to settle for bronze, like I did last year.

“It was good to get over that hurdle of beating Mia and get into the final against Carolina, who was playing very well.

“It was pretty much as close to the old Carolina as I could have not wished for!

“ If I was in any other generation I might be on top of these podiums.

“I’ve managed to beat her a couple of times over the years, but not in these European finals, unfortunately.

“She was back at it, she was very good in the final. But I’m delighted to be back, getting that silver, and I think it’s a fair reflection of the week, and of the last six months to a year.”

On their own route to the men’s doubles final, the dynamic duo of Dunn and Hall recorded back-to-back victories over French opponents.

Dunn and Hall - who won the Euro junior title together back in 2015– came from