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English National Badminton
Championships 2012
03-05 February,
Bolton Arena |
Visit the 2013 site
National Championships 2013
01-03 February
National Cycling Centre
Sportcity
Manchester
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[ CLARK - retiring, but ... ] [ ROBERTSON - the last one ] [ CANN - aims to regain ] [ RAJ - seeking a handful ] [ DRAWS released ] [ SEEDS announced ] [ PREVIEW ] |
09-Jan-2012:
Ouseph, Robertson and Clark
out to set records at English Nationals
 COMMONWEALTH
silver medallist Rajiv Ouseph has his sights on a record five
consecutive men’s singles titles when the English National
Championships are staged at Bolton Arena from February 3-5.
The Middlesex 25-year-old, who is the leading British singles player in
the race for London 2012 qualification, last year equalled Darren Hall’s
four successive wins from 1986-1999. But no men’s player has won five in
a row at a Championships dating back to 1964 and Ouseph still has a long
way to go to overhaul Hall’s record 10 men’s singles titles between
1986-1999.
Ouseph’s main rival will again be Kent’s Carl Baxter, who has
been the runner-up for the last four years.
Commonwealth bronze medallist Elizabeth Cann (Jersey) will also
be bidding for a fifth title in the women’s singles but she will be up
against 2011 winner Nicola Cerfontyne (Dorset) and runner-up
Sarah Walker (Essex).
Doubles star Anthony Clark (Notts) may have called time on his
international career at the end of 2011 but he is still determined to
claim a men’s doubles record.
Last year his record run of nine successive men’s doubles titles came to
an end when he suffered an eye injury just before the Championships.
That denied him the chance to match the record tally of 10 titles held
by men’s doubles legend Mike Tredgett with Clark and Nathan
Robertson both on nine wins, six of them in partnership.
Clark will team up with Kristian Roebuck (Derbyshire) for another
title tilt but Chris Adcock (Notts) and Andrew Ellis (Yorks)
will start as favourites. They were runners-up last year and Adcock has
been a beaten finalist the last three years.
Defending champion Chris Langridge (Surrey) and new partner
Peter Mills (Notts) will also be in contention while Ouseph is a
surprise entry in the doubles, partnering Marcus Ellis (Yorks).
 In
the women’s doubles Bolton-born Jenny Wallwork and Gabby White
(both Yorks) have won the title for the last two years but the Leeds
pair will again have to withstand the threat from Mariana
Agathangelou (Avon) and Heather Olver (Sussex).
Agathangelou and Olver have been runners-up for the last two years but
have now moved above Wallwork and White in the world rankings as they
chase Olympic qualification.
In the mixed doubles Wallwork and Robertson are out to make it a
hat-trick of National titles together to add to the four Robertson won
with Gail Emms. Adcock and White are again the main threat with
Marcus Ellis and Olver also in contention while Mills and
Agathangelou could spring a few surprises.
Victory would take Robertson (Notts) level with Tredgett’s National
title tally of 16 (10 men’s doubles and six mixed). Last year Robertson
collected his ninth men’s doubles title when he deputised for Clark and
won the title with Langridge.
Robertson and Clark are no strangers to Bolton Arena. They were part of
the England squad which won the Commonwealth Games team gold there in
2002. They also won a men’s doubles bronze while Clark won the mixed
bronze with Sara Sankey.
The Championships had been planned for a ninth consecutive year at
Manchester Velodrome but BADMINTON England have agreed to switch the
venue to Bolton Arena to help Britain’s cyclists prepare for the World
Cup Classic, which is the Olympic Test event for London 2012.
Today’s entry list features players from all over England as they seize
the opportunity to take on some of the GB squad players hoping to
qualify for London 2012.
Councillor Mike Amesbury, Executive Member for Culture & Leisure
for Manchester City Council: "In Manchester we are proud of our track
record for hosting major sports events and the English National
Badminton Championships is a great example of how our partnerships with
National Governing Bodies of Sport can deliver top-class events.
“These events help to support our development programmes, which provide
residents with opportunities to get involved in sport whether it be
through playing, coaching, volunteering or spectating.
“The event is also a crucial stepping stone in athletes' preparations
for London 2012, and I am sure that visitors to the event will witness
some top-class badminton action over the weekend."
The English National Championships, which is part of the National
Championship series across all age groups, will be staged in Bolton
Arena thanks to the special partnership BADMINTON England enjoys with
Manchester City Council, racket and equipment company Carlton and Case
Security.
2011 ENGLISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
Men’s singles: Rajiv Ouseph (Middx).
Women’s singles: Nicola Cerfontyne (Dorset)
Men’s doubles: Chris Langridge (Surrey) & Nathan Robertson (Notts)
Women’s doubles: Jenny Wallwork & Gabby White (both Yorkshire)
Mixed doubles: Nathan Robertson (Notts) & Jenny Wallwork (Yorks)
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