Badminton: Bankier makes semis

Scotland’s Imogen Bankier and England’s Chris Adcock won another titanic duel with GB rivals Nathan Robertson and Jenny Wallwork to assure themselves at least a bronze medal at the European Championships in the Swedish city of Karlskrona.

The pair, who won the silver medal at the Yonex BWF World Championships at Wembley last August, beat the 2010 European bronze medallists but they did it the hard way, coming from behind to win 18-21 21-19 22-20.

It was another nervy contest in this third match between the two pairs in the Olympic qualifying race, with the England pair having won in three games in Malaysia and the Anglo-Scottish pair coming through at the Swiss Open last month.

Bankier said: “It was hard for both of us. We have never experienced these expectations and pressures before.”

Of her opponents she added: “They are extremely tough competitors and we have had a fantastic rivalry. But I don’t know how we managed to make it so tough again.”

In today’s semi-finals they will face the Polish seventh seeds Robert Mateusiak and Nadiezda Zieba.