England’s Chris and Gabby Adcock are the new Commonwealth mixed doubles champions after defeating team-mates Chris Langridge and Heather Olver in the first of today’s five badminton finals at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena.

The top seeds, who are ranked number five in the world, came out on top 21-9 21-12 against fourth seeds Langridge and Olver, who are number 20 in the rankings.

It was the first time the pairs had met in an international competition and the Adcocks produced a display every bit as emphatic as their semi-final win over Scotland’s Robert Blair and Imogen Bankier yesterday. They took gold without dropping a game in the competition.

The victory meant the Adcocks became the first husband and wife to win the mixed doubles gold together at a Commonwealth Games and the win gave Chris Adcock a gold to go with his 2011 world championships silver (with Bankier) at Wembley Arena.

It also meant England produced both finalists in a Commonwealth badminton final since 1994 in Victoria, Canada, when Chris Hunt and Gill Clark took gold, Simon Archer and Julie Bradbury the silver and Nick Ponting and Joanne Wright (Goode) the bronze.

At the same Games Wright and Jo Muggeridge took gold and Bradbury and Clark took silver in women’s doubles in a second one-two for England, who also took the team gold that year.

Today’s victory also saw Gabby Adcock pip Langridge for top spot in England team’s medal haul with mixed gold, team silver and women’s doubles bronze compared to his mixed silver, team silver and men’s doubles bronze. Gabby Adcock said: "We can't believe it, no words can explain it. It's all the hard work that we've put in; this is the reward. We are just so happy that we got that gold. The last two years have been the biggest roller coaster I've ever been on, the highs and lows but that's sport and then we step on that podium it will all feel worth it.

Chris Adcock said: "Our performances have got better and better throughout the week. In the individual tournament we've been as close to perfect as we could be. It's been a really busy schedule and our bodies are about to fall to bits. To get through that last game I didn't know what it would feel like, it's been so emotional."

"Gold says it all, silver in the team event is amazing and Gabby has the full set with her great win last night. We were focused today and I am going to struggle to hold it back on the podium."

Langridge said: "We've had a good tournament so it's really disappointing not to play well in the final but full credit to Gabby and Chris. I am gutted that I didn't have what it takes. Heather played really well today."
Olver said: "Yesterday was tiring but I am very proud of what I've achieved here."

England had been set a minimum target of three medals by their coaches but by the end of the 11 days of competition head coach Jakob Hoi’s 10-strong squad had scooped mixed doubles gold and silver, team silver, men’s doubles bronze and women’s doubles bronze to finish with five medals. The England squad at Glasgow 2014 were: Rajiv Ouseph, Chris Adcock, Andy Ellis, Chris Langridge, Peter Mills, Sarah Walker, Gabby Adcock, Lauren Smith, Heather Olver and Kate Robertshaw.

Silver and bronze for Scotland

Scotland’s Kirsty Gilmour had to settle for the silver medal in the women’s singles final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow’s Emirates Arena this morning.

The Scottish No. 1 fell to Canada’s Michelle Li 21-14 21-7 to the disappointment of the home fans packing Glasgow’s Emirates Arena. Gilmour had reached the final without dropping a game but today she got off to a nervous start and the Canadian capitalised as she built on a 12-4 advantage to take the opener 21-14.



It was a similar story in the same as she opened a 7-0 lead before Gilmour got her first point of the second game. But there was no stopping Li, who went on to win Canada’s first Commonwealth women’s singles gold medal.
Despite her disappointment, Gilmour, who will be 21 next month, produced Scotland’s best badminton achievement by a singles player at any Games, her silver bettering Susan Egelstaff’s bronze at Melbourne in 2006.

The Hamilton player had been hoping to add to Scotland’s only previous gold, won back in 1986 when Billy Gilliland and Dan Travers took men’s doubles glory.

But reaching the Commonwealth final is the the biggest achievement of her young career and rounds of a season which brought final appearances at the Scottish Open Grand Prix in this same arena, a runners-up spot in the London Grand Prix and the women’s singles title at the Spanish International.

But she will be back in action three weeks tomorrow for the biggest test of the year when she tackles the World Championships in Copenhagen. Gilmour said: “I can’t be too disappointed with silver. I gave so much yesterday in the semi-final that I didn’t have much left today. My legs and head didn’t quite match up.

“But the Games have been almost perfect for me. I am so happy to win a medal of any colour because the field was so strong in this event.”
Anne Smillie, Chief Executive of BADMINTONscotland, paid tribute to Gilmour. “You have to admire her dedication and determination,” she said. “Her efforts over the last 11 days of badminton have been terrific and today’s silver medal is a fitting reward.

“At 20 she represents the future of Scottish badminton and she is already an inspiration to all the young players we are attracting to the game. “She deserves the chance to enjoy this achievement of reaching the final and we hope this is the springboard to more success on the international stage. I am sure the experience over the last 11 days will stand her in good stead at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.”

Gilmour’s medal was Scotland’s second in badminton at Glasgow 2014 after Robert Blair and Imogen Bankier took mixed doubles bronze last night when they won the third-place play-off by beating Malaysian fifth seeds Chan Peng Soon and Pei Jing Lai 21-17 21-11.

It was the first time Scotland had won two medals since 1986 when Gilliland added a mixed doubles bronze with current team manager Christine Black to his men’s doubles gold with Travers.

Photos by BadmintonPhoto