Kilbarchan couple win tickets to the Olympics

Jun 15 2012 by Chris Clements, Paisley Daily Express

A RETIRED couple have become one of the first Olympic winners – after being handed gold-dust tickets for the London Games.

Kenny and Carmel Young, of Kilbarchan, won briefs for a day at the swimming events when they entered a competition through a travel firm.

And now the pair are primed for Olympic action.

Carmel, a 61-year-old former nurse, told the Paisley Daily Express that she and Kenny, 65, are raring to head south to savour next month’s Olympic atmosphere.

She added: “We have won tickets to see the swimming on July 30.

“We entered the event when we were at Thomas Cook in Greenock.

“As a non-swimmer, I think it’s quite strange how I ended up with the swimming events.

“We had a choice of what we could watch and one of them was swimming, the other was football. I can’t remember what the third option was!

“I think I’ve won more in free competitions over the years than I have in things like the Lottery.

“It was a very nice surprise.”

Kenny and Carmel will get to see medal events such as the men’s 200m freestyle, men’s 100m backstroke, the women’s 100m breaststroke and the women’s 100m backstroke at the swanky Aquatics Centre in London’s Olympic Park.

Carmel said the pair are enjoying their retirement and the visit to the Olympics is an added bonus.

“Kenneth has just retired from his job in electrical and mechanical repairs, so we have just been enjoying ourselves travelling to various places in our vintage campervan,” she said.

“We can now add London to the list of places to go this year. It’s very exciting and I’m happy I’m getting the chance to see something.

“The Olympics seem so remote to us and all you hear in the news in London this and London that. For us to win tickets is amazing.

“It’s great to see other parts of the UK getting a chance.”

They won their tickets through travel company Thomas Cook, who gave customers the chance to see one of a variety of sporting events at the Games.

Yvonne Barber, customer service manager at Thomas Cook in Johnstone, congratulated the Youngs.

She said: “We received a great response to the competition and are delighted Mr and Mrs Young won the tickets.

“The whole team is very much in the Olympic mood, so we hope it is a very memorable experience for them.”