CHRIS Adcock has two titles on the line at next month’s English National Badminton Championships, but the Ravenshead ace insists he is more than capable of a double defence.
This time last year Adcock partnered up with fiancée Gabrielle White to take the mixed doubles title and also topped the pile in the men’s doubles event with Andy Ellis.
Adcock’s pairing with White in the 2012 event was a one-off at the time as the 23-year-old’s regular partner at the time, Imogen Bankier, is Scottish and ineligible for the English nationals.
But since Bankier and Adcock’s disappointing first-round exit at London 2012 the Scotswoman has returned north of the border, leaving Adcock to resume his partnership with White on a regular basis.
And ahead of the trip to Manchester for the English Nationals Adcock is confident that he will be up for the challenge of repeating as double champion.
“Last year was very good from a personal view as I came away with both the men’s and mixed doubles titles,” he said.
“So obviously I will be heading back to Manchester to try and retain both of those and that is the main aim.
“It is obviously going to be different as I have a different mixed partner now and it is always going to be tough as anything can happen, but I don’t see why I can’t do it.
“It will be a good test of where we are early on in the year and we will be looking to get into winning ways as soon as possible to get into that habit moving forward.
“We will be looking to get some good games in the bag early on, pick up some wins and build on from there.”
Adcock’s London 2012 disappointment was something of a setback for a man who, in partnership with Bankier, had claimed silver at the world championships the year before.
But despite the subsequent failure on home soil, Adcock is adamant that he has learnt from his experience at the Greatest Show on Earth.
“Even though the result didn’t go the way we wanted it to, just the whole experience of being involved in a home Olympics was absolutely amazing,” he added.
“To be part of the greatest team in terms of Team GB’s success, even though I didn’t personally contribute, was fantastic and to be involved in a once in a lifetime thing too was brilliant.
“It has already got me thinking about Rio now, even though London 2012 wasn’t that long ago at all.”
Tickets for every day of the English National Badminton Championships are available at www.nationalbadmintonchamps.co.uk or call the box office on 0844 5811 424.
Comments