Lisburn's Linda Andrews represented Ireland at a second sport, 50 years after her first, as she competed in the inaugural DUPR European Pickleball Championships.

Andrew played badminton for Ireland during the 1970s, competing in tournaments such as the 1975 European Junior Badminton Championships in Copenhagen.

Two of her teammates back then were in Southampton to compete for Ireland in pickleball, fellow Lisburn native George Stephens and Belfast's Heather Jackson.  

“In 1975 the three of us played in the European juniors in Denmark when we were 17,” said Andrews. 

“Here we are 50 years later so we’re quite proud of the fact that we’re still alive and playing sport at a decent level.

“It’s good exercise. At our age, we have to keep going! It’s excellent and there’s a good community at our clubs so it’s enjoyable."

Jackson added: “I think it was the fact we’d all played in different tournaments and got medals in different tournaments in younger age groups, never mind our own age groups and the opportunity came up to represented Ireland again.

“It’s such a privilege to do it and we’re absolutely delighted. It’s a massive buzz for us three, it’s amazing.

“It was actually me who discovered it first. A lady brought it to Lisburn and I went down to the Lisburn Racket Club and the guys were there and I said ‘You guys will love this’ and that’s how it started.”

Pickleball is a fast-growing sport in Europe having first started in the US in the 1960s, it is a hybrid racket sport that is popular for its accessibility for all ages and abilities.

Pickleball gets its name from its American founders, with the family game created in 1965 named after their pet dog Pickle.

Stephens said: “We actually left a fourth guy called Bill Thompson back in Lisburn who probably would’ve been here if he had been fit. 

"A knee replacement and a bad back. He started playing before us and he was in Denmark.  

“I still remember getting pins and needles when I saw Bruno Wackfelt get the gold medal in Denmark and Morten Frost get the silver!”

The European Championships saw players compete in men’s, women’s and mixed doubles, across both the Open and Senior categories.

Individual medals were on offer in each of the disciplines, with the medal tallies also added up to decide the overall Champions of Europe.

Andrews added: “It was great to be at the opening ceremony. The people here have been terrific, the organisation has been tremendous and the opening ceremony was a buzz for us again.

“We had to go through that in the juniors as well!”

Find out more information about the European Pickleball Championships by visiting www.europeanpickleballfederation.org