Forres Academy pupil Alana Coutts thrilled to represent Scotland in international bowls tournament at Jim Baker Stadium in Antrim
A schoolgirl has celebrated an international bowls victory after being selected to represent her country.
Forres Academy pupil Alana Coutts travelled to Northern Ireland with the Scotland under-18 team to take part in the annual international series tournament.
She was part of a 16-strong team that defeated Ireland to lift the trophy.
“Bowls is a huge part of my life,” said the 17-year-old. “I really enjoy playing.”
Alana has just completed an indoor season with the Forres Victoria team on the short carpets, and she is a regular at Elgin and District Indoor Bowling Club during the winter.
She also plays on the outdoor greens at Forres Bowling Club, and has picked up a number of honours in the summer seasons.
Alana spoke about the thrill of being picked by the Scottish Youth Indoor Bowls Association to play in last weekend’s international at Antrim’s Jim Baker Stadium.
“I was delighted to be selected to play for Scotland,” she added. “This was my last opportunity to be part of the U18 squad, so I was so happy to be chosen.
“The weekend in Ireland was great, it was really exciting and fun to play and the team were lovely.
The Scottish team trailed 5-1 after the first session and reduced the gap to two points before storming away for a 35-21 success after the second day of action.
A SYIBA spokesperson said: “This weekend is a massive stepping stone for these young players starting their international bowls and it is fantastic to see the team bond and new friendships made.”