Primary Schools International

The Scotland team travelled to Jersey to participate in the 2024 Primary Schools International event. The team consisted of the following members:
Boys: Dean Robertson, Alexander Stepney, James Huang, Leo Stakim
Girls: Kiishi Adekola, Alexandra Hart, Millie Stakim, Lacey Cadden

The coaching team included Natalie Gallan and Lisa Notarangelo, while Terry McLernon took on the role of team captain.

The results were as follows:

Team event

The boys team achieved impressive victories against Guernsey 9-1, Wales 8-2, and Jersey 10-0, while also securing a draw against Ireland. Their only defeat came at the hands of England, although Dean managed to triumph over the number two player. As a result, the boys team won the silver medal, narrowly edging out Ireland on a countback of sets won.

Similarly, the girls team performed exceptionally, triumphing over Jersey 6-4, Guernsey 10-0, Wales 6-4, and Ireland 8-2. Their only loss came from England. Therefore, the Scotland Girls also managed to secure the silver medal, marking a fantastic achievement.

Girls Singles

Alex emerged victorious in her group with 3 wins, securing her spot in the main draw. Kiishi came in second place in her group and also advanced to the main draw. In the round of 16, Kiishi defeated Penny Muil, the number one player from Wales, with a flawless victory of 3-0. Alex, on the other hand, had a bye in this round.

Moving on to the quarter-finals, Alex then faced off against Ffion Evans, the second-ranked player from Wales. Despite having previously lost to Evans in the team event, Alex managed to secure a 3-0 victory this time. At the same stage, Kiishi lost 3-0 to Hannah Saunders, the number one player from England. In the semi-finals, Alex also faced off against Hannah Saunders, but was unable to secure a win this time. As a result, Alex took the bronze medal for her outstanding performance.

Girls Consolation

After a quarter-final victory over the number 2 player from Jersey, Lacey emerged victorious in the all-Scotland semifinal against Millie with a commanding 3-0 win, securing her place in the final. Millie settled for a bronze medal. In a thrilling final match, Lacey claimed the gold by triumphing over Maia Bowden from Jersey with a close 3-2 victory, making an impressive comeback after being down 2-1.

Boys Singles

Both Dean and Alexander emerged as winners in their respective groups, and James secured a second-place finish, allowing all three to advance to the main draw. James had two good wins in the group stages, defeating the second-ranked player from Ireland and the third-ranked player from Wales. Moving forward, Alexander achieved a good victory over Jonty Porter in the last 16, the top-ranked player from Jersey, with a flawless 3-0 score. James encountered a defeat at this stage at the hands of Andrew Low, the fourth-ranked player from Ireland, also with a 3-0 score. Meanwhile, Dean received a bye to the quarterfinals. The quarter-finals witnessed an intense match between Dean and Alexander, both representing Scotland. Ultimately, Alexander emerged victorious with a hard-fought 3-2 score. In the semi-finals, Alexander faced a formidable opponent in Zaid Aldilimi, the number one player from England. Despite his best efforts, Alexander fell short and lost the match with a 3-0 score. Alexander’s exceptional performance earned him a well-deserved bronze medal.

Boys Consolation

In the quarter-finals, Leo emerged victorious with a 3-2 win over Will Parsonage, who is the 4th-ranked player from Wales. However, Leo’s luck ran out in the semi-finals as he faced Adam Hedderly, the third-ranked player from Ireland, and suffered a 3-0 defeat. Leo therefore managed to secure the bronze medal.

Overall, the Scotland team achieved an impressive outcome, securing 2 silver medals in the team event, 2 bronze medals in the main draw singles, and a gold medal in the consolation singles, along with 2 additional consolation bronze medals. This is a remarkable achievement for the Scottish team. Well done to the players who worked hard all weekend, supported each other throughout, and, most importantly, had a great time.

We extend our sincere gratitude to the team captain, Terry, and coaches Lisa and Natalie for their exceptional efforts over the weekend. We would also like to express our appreciation to Natalie for her updates and the remarkable pictures that captured the entire experience.