Lanarkshire 2011 International Children's Games

Innes Ferguson took Gold with a brilliant overall score for the competition of 151 and team mate, Fraser Kane took Bronze with a final score of 154.  On the first day of the Plate Competition Team Lanarkshire's Frazer Kane took second place and on day two Innes Ferguson also gained a second.

Football

The boys football team hit the top spot in the goal-scoring charts at the ICG football tournament at Hamilton's Palace Grounds. They have made it through to the quarter finals after winning three games out of three in the group stage.

Following their 26-0 annihilation of Sialkot, Pakistan, in the morning, Team Lanarkshire beat Medias of Romania 5-0 in the afternoon.

Coach Willie McNab said: "The game against Medias was our hardest one so far, but we needed it going into the quarter finals tomorrow.

"The Romanians were very well set-up defensively and we had to work hard for the goals we got and be patient.

"We have scored over 40 goals in our three games so far so we are obviously confident.

"The fact we have kept three clean sheets is also very good for us mentally and we have the creativity going forward to cause problems for anyone."

The boys' team will play Tralee in the quarter final tomorrow morning and Willie said: "This will be a tough game and I am sure they will want to do well against us.

"But the boys' are determined to be on that pitch for the final tomorrow."

The girls' team just need to avoid defeat against Marion of the USA to be assured of a rematch against Seoul, South Korea, in tomorrow's final.

The girls' bounced back from yesterday's defeat against the South Koreans by running out convincing 15-0 winners against Fort Simpson, Canada.

Kevin Murphy, Team Lanarkshire girls' football coach, said: "The girls' showed a good response to the defeat and played really well - it gives them confidence going into the game tomorrow.

"They definitely want another crack against the Seoul team and they know their strengths and weaknesses from the previous game.

"We're looking forward to tomorrow and hopefully playing in the final."

Athletics

Lanarkshire's young athletes scooped two silver medals on second day of the International Children's Games at East Kilbride's John Wright Sports Centre.

Alec Thomas was second in the boys 100m in a time of 11.48seconds behind Baghdad's Ali Al Sultan who ran in a time of 11.29 seconds.

Alec said: "It was absolutely brilliant. My personal best time is 11.44 seconds, so I was really pleased. I was absolutely focussed on finishing at the line and didn't let anyone else distract me. The whole games have been really exciting and nervous at the same time.

"One day I hope to get to the Commonwealth games if I keep up the hard training."

Andrew Coutts also made it through to the 100metre final finishing fifth in a time of 11.67seconds, and he believes a poor start cost him a medal. "I stumbled at the start, coming too low out of the blocks, but I got back up and started to run my own race.

"I think it cost me a bronze medal as that's what I'd been aiming for. But overall it's been a great experience. I only started sprinting seriously last year so I'm honoured to be here."

Andrew and Alec have been training four nights a week for over a year.

Mhairi Hendry, competing in her third and final Children's Games, was runner up in the girls' 800metre finals in a time of 2.14.68seconds behind Reykjavik's impressive Ani Hinriksdottir (2.10.10seconds).

Airdrie Athlete Roisin Smith was in philosophical mood following her sixth place finish in the girls' 800metres finals at the International Children's Games.

The thirteen year old St Andrew's High School pupil, who ran in a time of 2.21seconds said: "I'm a bit gutted as I'd been hoping for a medal and a personal best - I got spiked on the last two hundred metres and that put me off my stride."I was a bit nervous before hand but tried to treat it like a normal race.I just tried to go for it but I'm now looking to give everything for the team and run through the pain in the 100metres relay and try and get a medal."

Roisin trains with Airdrie Harriers and has been training six nights a week on the build up to the Games. She is looking forward to hopefully competing in at least another two Games in the future.

Team Lanarkshire Coach, Tony Gilhooly, said that day two of the Games is all about pressure on the athletes to perform. "Not many of the athletes are used to competing in a heat and then a final and that can take its toll both mentally and physically.

"We're putting all our efforts into focussing on the relay races, as we have high hopes."

Swimming

Excitement is mounting as the swimmers prepare for the finals at the Dollan Aqua Centre in East Kilbride. The second day of the ICG competition has reached mid-way point and the anticipation is palpable.

Team Lanarkshire will be represented in 5 finals this afternoon:

Cameron Park will compete in the boys 200 breaststroke final along side competitors from China, Canada, Germany and England in what is set to be a closely fought contest.

Lanarkshire will be represented in the 200 meter girls backstroke with Emma Christie and Maya Andrew competing against swimmers from Lithuania, Mexico, Austria and Slovenia.

Cameron Watkins will swim in the 100 meter freestyle final alongside competitors from Singapore, Slovenia, Thailand and Iceland. Also competing in this is Andrej Kukuruzovic from Windsor, Canada.

Lanarkshire's Morven McNab will compete in the girls 100 meter breaststroke B final. Teammates Emma Christie and Jennifer Scott will also be competing in the B final for the 50 meter girls backstroke.

Team Bangkok continues to perform well, with 12 swimmers competing in A finals this afternoon. Also leading the way is the team from Singapore with swimmers in 6 A finals. The Mexican swimmers are also doing with 9 athletes competing in the afternoon's finals.

Tennis

Team Lanarkshire's Jamie Fleming is through to the tennis semi-finals in the boys' Consolation Plate after a strong performance against Peter Pak from Sopron, Hungary.

In the shorter Consolation Plate games Jamie won 4-1, 4-1, in a performance praised by Team Lanarkshire coach Ian Cannon.

Earlier Jamie and his doubles partner Andrew Lobban were defeated in the quarter-finals of the tournament by the strong American pairing of Siddarth Ahuja and Aaron Sandberg from Cleveland.

Later in the afternoon the American boys reached the doubles final.

Ian Cannon said: "Jamie showed real strength of character to play as he did after the disappointment of the doubles defeat.

"I know, it's difficult to build yourself up after losing, but he deserves his consolation semi-final place for his strong play. He came out on court again only 30 minutes after losing the doubles."

He also had words of encouragement for Jamie and Andrew for their doubles' performance. The Team Lanarkshire lads lost 6-4, 6-1, but the match was close.

"The doubles result was unfortunate as they were 5-1 up in the first set. They were unlucky and the other boys played the big points better.

"I thought they were capable of a medal, but they have played really well in the tournament and have enjoyed the experience and learned a lot from it."

Andrew's dad Ian, agreed, adding: "The thing that has struck me is the difference in physicality of some of the top quality overseas players and the training regimes they have.

"But it's not just about the matches. I know the boys have made friends all over the country. There's not a tournament in Britain they attend where they don't have friends.

"I'm sure the same will be the case in other countries now following the Lanarkshire Games. It has been a really great experience.'