Sport / Sporting round-up 20 January
SHETLAND Gymnastics Club has earned national recognition for its tireless work growing the sport across northern Scotland.
It has been nominated for the community club of the year at the British Gymnastics Awards, with head coach Julie Grant saying she could not believe it.
“This is an amazing honour for our little club away up in the far north to even be considered,” she said.
“To be selected as a finalist is beyond words. You don’t think people are aware of how hard we work to give these young people the same opportunities as their peers on the mainland.
“The constant fundraising to cover the obscenely high travel costs we have to attend any level of mainland competition or the weekends the club coaches and parents give up to make the long trek south to events.
“An overnight ferry just to reach Aberdeen is 14 hours, never mind the onward travel to the competition.”
Grant added that the club was still pursuing its own building, which it has been doing for 15 years, and said the team were “desperate to move” and expand gymnastics in the isles.
The 2025 British Gymnastics Awards recognise exceptional people and organisations that help keep gymnastics enjoyable, safe, and open to everyone, making a positive contribution to individuals, local communities, and wider society.
A record-breaking number of nominations have been received this year.
A LATE score from Banff agonisingly ended Shetland men’s rugby team’s hopes of reaching the North Caledonia Bowl final.
Shetland had led in the final stages of Saturday’s semi-final before Banff kicked over to edge out the tie 31-29.
The men had led by as much as 15 points at one stage, but Banff – playing at home – roared back in the second half to set up a final against Stornoway next month.
Shetland are back on the road in the league this weekend, taking on Deeside.
FOR SEVENTEEN famous minutes, Spencer Moreland and his Brechin team-mates were dreaming of an historic giant-killing as they lead Hearts in the Scottish Cup.
But a leveller from Yan Dhanda just before the break for the Jambos levelled the tie, and three further goals would follow in the second half as Hearts eventually eased into the last 16.
Moreland started for Brechin on Friday night, and his side took the lead on 23 minutes through a stunning strike from Scott Bright.
Though the Edinburgh side rallied to knock them out of the cup, Shetlander Moreland and the Highland League leaders emerged with serious credit for their performance.
It was another great weekend for Lewis Harkness and Henry Oldbury in the North Caledonian League, with the pair contributing strongly to Golspie Sutherland’s thrashing of Fort William.
Oldbury kept a clean sheet and Harkness picked up the man of the match award after finding the net in a 7-0 Golspie win.
The latest victory for Golspie keeps them in the hunt for the title, with the third-placed side trailing leaders Halkirk by six points – but with a game in hand to come.
George Robesten exited the Scottish Cup at the fourth round too – at the hands of the same club who beat him the round previously.
Robesten had been on loan at Brora Rangers when they were beaten by Livingston in round three, appearing as a second-half substitute in that defeat.
He returned to parent club Ross County this month, with the Staggies defeated by Livingston after extra time on Saturday to exit the competition at the first attempt.
Robesten was unavailable to play at the weekend due to playing for Brora earlier in the cup.
BELLAHOUSTON await Shetland’s netballers in the Scottish Cup this weekend, with the match taking place in Aberdeen.
Coach Morag Fox has selected a nine person squad to travel south for the fixture, with the game taking place on Sunday.
The squad for the clash with Bellahouston is as follows: Kirsti Leask, Ava Sim-Johnston, Alina Murray, Emma Jamieson, Cameron Johnston, Lianne Jamieson, Maisie Arthur, Danielle Witt and Rhea Ni Tnuthail.
Shetland 2’s will also take part in the Evelyn Beattie Quaich in Dundee next month, taking on Inverleith Swifts.
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