Bethany Romer returns to Lanark with two gold medals!

Bethany Romer was delighted to secure gold with her fellow Team Scotland competitors at the event in Orlando.

Having been postponed in 2020 and 2021, the 19-year-old was determined to make her mark at the event this year – securing a place in four teams at the Orlando global cheerleading showcase last month.

And she had much to celebrate on landing back home – bringing two gold medals with her, much to the delight of her very proud mum Karen Brown and stepdad Alan, who were there to watch her achieve her dream.

It wasn’t all plain sailing though – their connecting flight from Dublin to Washington was cancelled so the trio ended up staying overnight in Philadelphia, before catching a flight to Chicago and then on to Orlando.

Bethany was over the moon when she achieved her dream, coming home to Lanark with not one but two gold medals!

As a result, their baggage went missing and Karen and Alan spent their third day of the trip at the airport, tracking the bags! Luckily, Bethany had all her stage outfits safely in her hand luggage so she was able to train while Karen and Alan hunted.

That was all forgotten though when Bethany won her first gold with Team Scotland’s senior adaptive ability pom squad...but there was a rush to get to the podium.

Bethany said: “I’d just finished dancing with the Senior Hip Hop Squad in one venue and had to run to the awards ceremony in another.

“I couldn’t believe it when I heard we were on stage as that meant we had a medal. I jumped onto the stage when England was announced in bronze; when they said silver for Wales I started crying as that meant gold for Scotland. It was a dream come true.”

Bethany won her second gold with Champion Dance and Cheer in Clydebank, which she joined last year.

She attended Dance Rite from the age of two but a move to the West College of Scotland to study an HNC in Dance last year felt like the right time to move. Bethany hopes to do an HND, before trying her hand at performing and ultimately teaching.

For mum Karen, it will forever be a treasured memory.

She said: “Seeing her reaction to the first gold is something I will hold with me for life. Watching your child stand on the winning podium, singing Flower of Scotland, was simply amazing.

“I turned 50 on April 26 – it was the best present any mum could have, seeing their girl achieve her dream.”