A TEEN curler who won gold at the Winter Olympics is gearing up for her next big competition.
As the sport marks its fourth National Curling Day (November 15), Holly Burke from Hamilton is hoping for success at the Scottish Junior Championships in Aberdeen.
The talented 17-year-old could then be on course to represent Scotland at the World B Junior Championships in Finland, and the World Championships in Italy.
It is less than a year since Holly and Dumfries-based Team GB colleagues Tia Laurie, Archie Hyslop and Logan Carson sensationally beat Denmark in their gold medal match at the youth winter Olympics in South Korea.
“The last 12 months have been amazing, and the hard work of years of training has paid off in so many ways, especially in winning Olympic gold,” said Holly, a former pupil of Hamilton Grammar School, who is now training to be a hairdresser.
“But, as with any elite sport, the commitment and dedication have to be year-round, and that is something you have to set your mind to from the start.
“It is hard work but so worthwhile; I’ve met so many amazing people, travelled to places I could never have imagined and achieved goals I could only have dreamed of. That’s what curling has given me.”
READ NEXT: First look at huge TV blockbuster starring Martin Compston
She added: “It’s great to see National Curling Day is now an annual event, having kicked off post pandemic in 2021 and I really hope it continues to bring more people of all ages and abilities to the sport.”
Following an extensive selection process, British Curling has also named Holly in its world class programme at Performance Foundation (PF) level for 2024/25.
A talent development programme, it works with curlers who have the potential to win Olympic medals, nurturing individual strength and skill.
Holly combines her studies with part-time work for South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture at Chatelherault Country Park, and she trains four times a week at the National Curling Centre in Stirling.
Any business or organisation interested in offering sponsorship for Holly this season can contact her team by email on team.hburke@gmail.com.
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here