To get to Singapore for the Games, taking place in August, Kirsty (17) and fellow Scotland prospect Matthew Carder (16) must come through the Great Britain qualification tournament which is taking place at Milton Keynes on Saturday and Sunday, January 23 and 24.

This will determine which British boy and girl will move on to tackle the European qualification event in Denmark in March.

Kirsty will face England's Georgina Bland, Helena Lewczynska and Sarah Milne and Welsh prospect Sarah Thomas in the winner-takes-all competition.

Meanwhile, Kirsty has been nominated for the Best Up and Coming Scottish Sportsperson at this year's Scottish Variety Awards.

The 16-year-old is the only girl among the nominees and is up against rugby's Ben Addison, cyclist John Paul and footballers Rory Loy, of
Rangers, and Paul Caddis, of Celtic.

Visit www.clyde1.com for vote details.

Full story in January 21 and 28 editions of Times & Speaker