Ponteland teen to represent England in European Badminton Championships in Ibiza

A Ponteland teenager is set to represent England in the European Badminton Championships in Ibiza. Lucy Dodd, 17, will be travelling to the Spanish island on Sunday, to play the sport she loves for her country.

Lucy, who attends Dame Allan’s Sixth Form in Newcastle, will be competing in the under-19 Junior European Championships, as one of only six girls to have made the Badminton England elite squad. She will be taking part in both Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles matches during the tournament.

Lucy said: "I’m really excited for the Championships, if a bit nervous. One of the nice things about playing doubles is that there is always someone to support you on the court, so it will be great to have that reassurance in Ibiza."

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Lucy has been playing badminton since she was eight, and currently holds the title of under-19 National Champion in Women’s Doubles, and is ranked number one in England in her age category. She was recently selected for the Sport Newcastle Platinum award, which is given to just one athlete in the region per year, and comes with a grant of £1,500 per year to support training and development.

Lucy's mum Catherine said: "I am very proud of what Lucy manages to achieve in the time she has available, but it’s always been about her enjoying playing rather than the results she gets. I am also very grateful for the understanding and flexibility that Dame Allan’s has offered to support Lucy in her sport."

Lucy is also an Athlete Mentor at Dame Allan’s, where she supports younger pupils who are looking to reach a high level in their own sport.

She added: "I find it really rewarding to help younger pupils at Dame Allan’s who are looking to pursue high level sport. It’s a great system also for working with my peers and finding out how they are developing in their different sports."