Alongside his curling career, Niall Ryder, aged 19, works as a waiter at the Portpatrick Hotel, and his bosses there have agreed to fund his sporting dreams.
With the 2022 Winter games well underway in Beijing, Niall is currently witnessing what it’s like to be at the very top of the sport of curling — not a far cry from his current standing as one of the best young talents in Scotland.
He first took to the ice aged ten and since then, his skills have gone from strength to strength — winning multiple junior championships at a regional and national level.
Niall currently represents Team Craik based in Forfar, who recently won the Asham Under 21 Slam Lockerbie Junior Invitation gents’ final. The team’s next outing will see them represent Scotland at the World Junior Championships in Sweden — with hopes that someday, his team will be challenging for an Olympic gold medal — but for now, more hard work and dedication is the order of the day.
Commenting on his new sponsorship, Niall said: “I’m extremely grateful to have the backing of the Coast & Country Hotel Collection and the flexibility of my job at the Portpatrick has allowed me to pursue my dream of – one day – representing team GB. Watching the team compete at this year’s games inspires me to work extra hard in the hope that’ll be me on the TV in the not too distant future! I
“t’s now time to concentrate on my own game and, with the support of everyone around me, I’m approaching the Junior World Championships with renewed confidence.”
Hotel general manager Konrad Parulski wished him well and said: “It’s great to see someone from the town setting their sights so high and with the Winter Olympics currently taking place, I’m sure many more young talents will feel inspired to hit the ice.
“Niall is a pleasure to work with and his commitment and dedication to curling is reflected in his approach to his work here too. Given this, it seemed only right we sponsor the next stage of his career! He’s an excellent example of how hard work and dedication can pay off and we’re delighted to support him on this journey — and have every faith in his future success.”
