Olympian choices for Paris
22 SPORT
End of an era at Easter Road
Scotland win
fishing gold
Standing ovation for
the legendary duo
By NIGEL DUNCANSCOTLAND MEN, including Ally
Middlemass from Mid Calder, and Kevin
McCabe (Gifford), won the Spring
International fly fishing at Lough Ennell
in Ireland with 13 fish, five ahead of the
hosts.
Martin McCafferty from Blantyre was
top rod in the individual standings,
tying with Seamus O’Loughlin (Ireland),
for the coveted Brown Bowl.
Scotland were second last year and
Tom McTaggart, secretary of the
Scottish Anglers National Association,
Competition Clubs (SANACC), admitted
it was a hard competition to win.
Conditions, he said, varied in the
build-up.
The wind strength and direction on
match day was different to the practice
days but he added: “The fly life was
excellent with a mix of mayflies,
buttons, olives, buzzers and caenis,
although rises to them were sporadic.”
Scotland totalled 587.9cms and 851
points, Ireland were second with
342.2cms and 505 points, Wales third
with four trout for 172cms and 253
points and England fourth with three
trout for 130.1cms and 191 points.
The autumn match will take place at
Llyn Clywedog in Wales from 9 to 13
September with accommodation for
competitors in the Metropole Hotel,
Llandrindod Wells.
Kevin McCabe will captain the Scots.By JOHN HISLOP
HIBS LEGENDS Lewis Stevenson and Paul
Hanlon left the Easter Road pitch in May to
a hugely deserved standing ovation from
15,000 fans.
Fittingly the pair bowed out with an impressive
3-0 victory over Motherwell on an
emotional night in Leith.
For Stevenson, it was a
landmark 600th appearance for
the Club over 19-years while
close friend and teammate
Hanlon has chalked up 565
games over 16-years.
Stevenson was man of the
match when Hibs beat
Kilmarnock 5-1 in the final
of the CIS League Cup in
2007 and the pair played their
part in the glorious 114-year
hoodoo-smashing Scottish
Cup triumph in
2016 with Hanlon scoring
the famous equaliser at
Tynecastle en route to the final.
Both received testimonial
matches and founded the
Hanlon Stevenson Foundation
with the proceeds.The charity is
primarily youth related and
aims to help less privileged
children.
Projects include Street Soccer
Scotland, Helping Hands, Show
Racism the Red Card, CCLASP
(Children with Cancer and
Leukaemia Advice & Support for
By NIGEL DUNCANTWO FORMER Edinburgh club
players have been selected for Great
Britain’s Olympic Games hockey
squad for Paris.
Amy Costello, formerly of
Inverleith, and Borders-born Sarah
Robertson, who played for The
University of Edinburgh, are both
named.
Joining them will be Tayside-
raised Charlotte Watson with Jess
Buchanan, Scotland’s current No 1
goalkeeper, listed as Reserve.
Robertson won bronze at the
2020 Tokyo Olympics, scoring in the
match against India which GB won
4-3 to secure a medal.Amy Costello will make her debut
Olympic appearance after playing in
two Commonwealth Games.
David Ralph, the squad’s Scottish-
born head coach, said: “A huge
congratulations to the players that
have been selected to represent
Team GB at the Paris 2024 Olympic
Games. Whether this is your fourth
Games or your first, being selected
for an Olympics is an incredibly
special moment which I know
means a lot to all of our players.
“The GB women’s squad has a
long history at the Olympic Games,
and we now have the opportunity
to create our own history. This is our
moment and our chance to create
memories for life.“To the whole squad, I want to
recognise their hard work and
dedication that they’ve shown for
the whole cycle. They have all
played and will continue to play a
really important role in terms of
making sure the selected squad go
into the Games in the best position
possible.”
Squad: Giselle Ansley, Amy
Costello, Fiona Crackles, Hannah
French, Sophie Hamilton, Tess
Howar, Sarah Jones, Lily Owsley,
Hollie Pearne-Webb, Flora Peel, Izzy
Petter, Miriam Pritchard, Sarah
Robertson, Laura Roper, Anna
Toman, Charlotte Watson. Reserves:
Grace Balsdon, Jess Buchanan, Lily
Walker.Parents) LIFT (Low Income Families
Together) as well as the Hibs Mascot and Ball
Attendants.
Kirkcaldy born Stevenson was quickly
snapped up by Raith Rovers managed by
former Hibs captain Ian Murray. At the time
of writing an offer is also on the table for
Hanlon who is still considering his options.
Stevenson said: “I went from being a daft
wee boy from Kirkcaldy breaking into the
Hibs team as a teenager to a man that got
to marry the girl he met at school, have
three amazing kids and pack in more
memories on a football pitch that I could
have hoped for. I have no complaints.
Hanlon said: I’d be lying if I said I’m not
disappointed to be leaving Hibs. I’m notready for this journey to be over but I suppose the
day ws always going to come.
“The overriding emotion is pride. I never lost
sight of the reality that I was able to live my dream
as a local boy who loved this club for as long as I
can remember. When all is said and done it’s been
an amazing period of my life.”
Club ambassador Pat Stanton said: “Lewis
Stevenson and Paul Hanlon should leave with
their heads held high knowing they have
contributed so much. They will rightly be
remembered for all they have given to Hibs and
how much they have achieved. There is
something really special about these two
having worked their way through the youth set
up and progress to playing as many games as
they have in the first team.”Ian JacobsNigel DUncanAmy and SarahThe squad and officialsLewis Stevenson