No car park tears this time for Love as 3×3 teams claim silver & bronzeImage source, PA MediaByRichard WintonBBC Sport Scotland at SECPublished1 hour agoFour years ago, in a converted car park in Birmingham, tears fell down Robyn Love’s cheeks and thumping music assaulted her ears.A Commonwealth Games that started with a lost chair had ended in a missed opportunity for Scotland’s women’s wheelchair 3×3 basketball team.
A bronze medal had been lost to hosts England amid the rambunctious surroundings of Smithfield Market, and Love was trying to explain how much it hurt when her emotions took over.
Fast forward four years and the 35-year-old from Ayr was the sole survivor from that team as Scotland faced England again on Wednesday in Glasgow.
The difference this time was that it was in the gold-medal match.
Love, Lea Smith, Kayli English and Jodie Waite knew they would leave the SEC with – at worst – a slab of silver around their necks after beating Australia in the semi-final earlier in the day. And ultimately that’s what happened after an 18-10 defeat.
That they – officially at least – missed out on becoming Scotland’s first ever Commonwealth medallists in a team sport after being usurped by their men’s 3×3 pals winning bronze earlier in the day will not have concerned them in the slightest.
“I’m not crying now, but I pretty much was this morning after the semi-final,” mentioned veteran Love, who also coaches this callow team.
“To get a Commonwealth silver with this group, and to get to coach them and see them grow… what a privilege. I feel incredibly lucky and it’s much better being in the SEC than in a car park in Birmingham, I can tell you that for free.”
