By Nick Creely
Most people associate Friday the 13th as an unlucky day in Western superstition.
But for Berwick sport shooter Laetisha Scanlan, it’s the complete opposite, a day where the stars align and luck is on her side.
So it was only fitting that on Friday 13 April at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games – also Laetisha’s 28th birthday – that she would win gold once again in the Women’s Trap event, taking her overall gold medal tally to three after wins in 2010 Delhi and 2014 Glasgow.
While she still soaks up the enormity of her achievements on state-tour, Laetisha admits that it was a twist of fate that she could claim glory on her birthday, and on that particular day.
“You probably don’t realise your achievements until you sit back and reflect, it’s definitely easy to get caught up in all the excitement,” she said.
“It was funny, Friday the 13th is not always the luckiest number for some, but I like to think of myself as quite superstitious, it was honestly the best birthday present you could ask for, and to go back to back in the event is a special feeling for sure.”
After winning the same event in Glasgow, Laetisha learnt a lot about preparation, and said that her past experiences put her in good shape for gold.
“I had a plan with my coach, we went up on 1 April and kind of just soaked it all in – I then came home for a week and came back a couple of days before my event, it certainly helped me,” she said.
“There was just an ease, and I think winning the last time around certainly helped.”
Winning gold in front of her country after scoring 38 out of 50 to edge Northern Ireland’s Kirsty Barr in the trap shooting final, and her family and friends is an experience she will treasure forever.
“It (the crowd) was amazing, it was so unexpected to be honest, usually there are not many people at shooting events, but every stand was full,” she said.
“People did warn me about the crowd, and my event was last, and it was honestly so crazy – seeing my family and friends was just incredible, and I really felt like the crowd was behind me all the way.
“I managed to win on my very last shot which I needed to make, and to have the support for me was a big factor in me getting over the line.”
While the shooter would love to have another crack at winning three times in a row, she will have to sit and wait as to whether her event is in the Games in Birmingham, but has her sights set on redemption on Olympic glory.
“After three golds, I would love to continue on, but shooting’s been taken out of the Birmingham 2022 Games, which is a bit disappointing,” she said.
“But I’m setting my sights firmly on Tokyo 2020, there’s some unfinished business for me after the Rio games, and I can’t wait to get stuck in.”
