A young North East athlete bagged the runner-up spot in the Women’s World Highland Games Championships – despite losing her luggage in an airport mix-up.
Eve Robson, 21, of Hurworth-on-Tees, near Darlington, flew from Heathrow to America to take part in the competition after being crowned Scottish champion.
However, when she landed at Dallas, with her mum and dad, Karen and Tim, and brother, Harry, there was no sign of the family’s luggage.
With the World Championships taking place in Oklahoma, the family board a connecting flight to Tulsa, where they spent three days shopping for equipment, clothes and toiletries before the competition.
Eve managed to borrow a kilt from a specialist manufacturer in Oklahoma, and put out an appeal on social media for other kit, only for the bags to finally arrive hours before she was due to compete.
“All we had when we arrived were the things we were wearing,” said Eve. “It was pretty stressful and hardly the best preparation for the biggest competition of my life.”
Despite being the youngest competitor, Eve excelled in the championships and finished second overall to the more experienced American Amber Tiedeman.
Eve’s best results were finishing second in tossing the caber, the heavyweight for distance, heavy hammer, and light hammer.
“I was hoping to get into the top three, so I’m really proud of what I achieved,” added Eve, who raised money for the trip by challenging men to arm-wrestling contests on the bar of The Emerson Arms, where she works.
Read more: Fury from passengers as North East train route slashed to one per hour
The World Championships coincided with Eve’s 21st birthday and the family celebrated with a week in Las Vegas.
Her next big competition is the World Team Championships, in France, next June, when she will represent Great Britain by partnering Scottish professional Jamie Gunn.
“I’ve never competed in a team event before, so I’m really excited,” she said.
Eve has also been invited to compete in next year’s World Championships, when she’s hoping to go one better.
“I’m developing all the time, so I reckon I’m in with a good chance of winning in 2024,” she said.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here