Olympics: Bad start wouldn’t be a disaster for Imogen Bankier and Chris Adcock in new format

For the moment, none of them wants to dwell on the possibility of being beaten in their first game. But, on Sunday morning, it will come as a consolation to the mixed-doubles team which is on the losing side of a confrontation which could – and maybe even will – grace the final itself.

In the red, white and blue corner, there is Glasgow’s Imogen Bankier and her English partner Chris Adcock. Opposing them, the Chinese team who are the current world No 1s, Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei.

The Britons, ranked tenth, lost to the Chinese in the world championships, but have won their last two meetings. And, whatever the result at Wembley Arena on Sunday, both pairs can still go through to the  latter stages, where they would not meet again until the gold-medal match.

Bankier is aware that the new format is a complicating factor for this competition but prefers simply to think of what a good boost to morale it would be if she and Adcock wrere to get off to a winning start.

“We’re not used to playing in groups – certainly I haven’t played in groups since I was about 13,” she said yesterday. “It is a different mentality, because you could lose a game then play again, which is unfamiliar for us.

“But it’s not hugely different. We will still be focused on winning every game.

“It would be a fantastic way to start the tournament, to beat the top seeds but, if we don’t, we still have nothing to lose and still have a really good chance of beating the other two pairs in our group. I think we’re really happy with the draw.”

Bankier, Adcock and their team-mates Susan Egelstaff and Rajiv Ouseph have been with the rest of Team GB in the Olympic Village, but will move across town before their matches start in order to be just a short walk away from Wembley, rather than a long shuttle-bus journey.

“We came into the village on Monday and it’s been a really nice experience being part of the team,” explained Bankier. “For the competition we’re moving into flats in Wembley. I think that’s good for us, and that’s what we’re used to.”

Great Britain coach Kenneth Jonassen believes that, while the Chinese are favourites to win the group, home advantage could make the difference in ensuring that Bankier and Adcock join them in the latter stages of the competition. “The group is obviously tough, but they do have a good record against [the Chinese]. So that’s going to be an open game. It has shown that if we play our best we can defeat them, but they are a strong pair and are the strong favourites to get out of the group.

“If we play at our highest level I do fancy our chances of making it to the quarter-finals. It’s a good group with one favourite and three pairs that are more or less equal in terms of ranking.

“We believe that our home  support will carry us through. That could be the extra five or ten per cent.”

Things are harder still for singles competitor Egelstaff, who is in a group of three along with Sayaka Sato of Japan and Maja Tvrdy from Slovena, with only the winner going through. “It’s tough because Sato is a really good player, so that will be a tough match,” the 2006 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist said. “I’ve played both of them before.

“I’m glad I’m in a group of three as you get a rubbish deal if you’re in a group of two. I beat Sato before, two years ago. She’s probably a better player now, she’s in the top 20 after all.

“I’m not expected to get through, as Sato is seeded. Hopefully I can just go for it and give a good show.”

Despite her international experience, this competition is a novelty for Egelstaff in another respect besides the format. “In badminton we’re normally Scotland and England, so it’s the first time I’ve ever represented Great Britain,” she explained. “It’s a really big thing for Scotland – we’ve only ever had one badminton player in the Olympics before, in 1996 [That was Anne Gibson, now Robinson].

“I do all my training in Scotland, so it shows that you don’t need to move to England. It’s really good that Scotland  can provide half the Olympic badminton team.”