BOA announces Team GB badminton selection

Chris Adcock and Imogen Bankier will represent Great Britain in the mixed doubles at London 2012, the British Olympic Association have announced.

The World Championships silver medallists were widely expected to have their places confirmed after finishing the Olympic qualification period ranked 10th in the world.

Their selection means there will be no place for 2004 Olympic silver medallist Nathan Robertson and his new partner Jenny Wallwork, who were 17th when qualifying ended.

With the BOA ratifying Badminton England's policy to pick on world rankings, Robertson, 35 today, will have been expecting the news.

Yet it will still come as a disappointment for the Nottinghamshire player, who is widely regarded as one of the country's greatest ever players.

Having aimed to end his career on a high with a final shot at Olympic gold on home soil, Robertson, whose most famous achievements came in partnership with Gail Emms, is now expected to confirm his retirement.

"After a tremendously hard year of qualification, when I received my selection letter to say that I would become an Olympian at the London 2012 Games, I was over the moon," Adcock said.

"I had achieved one of my lifelong goals and now that I have been selected to represent Team GB, my focus is to put myself in the best position possible to perform at my optimum level."

Bankier added: "I am absolutely delighted to become a member of the Team GB badminton team and I'm really looking forward to competing in front of a home crowd at Wembley Arena with the potential to hopefully bring home a medal."

Britain will have two other places at this summer's Games in the capital.

Londoner Rajiv Ouseph will play in the men's singles while Scotland's Susan Egelstaff, ranked 36th at the end of qualifying, was picked ahead of Jersey's Elizabeth Cann in the women's singles.

"The Olympics is a once in a lifetime experience and I'm honoured to be representing Team GB in my home city of London," Ouseph said.

"Having grown up here it's even more exciting to be competing in front of a home crowd and knowing you have great support on the door step."

Britain had hoped to have a fourth place with Adcock and Andy Ellis first reserves in the men's doubles but none of the pairs who qualified ahead of them have dropped out.

PA