General

Two great players, in three finals (Photo: Badminton Europe)
Medals all round
Date: 4/15/2018 1:14 AM
Published by : Alan Raftery
After a fantastic day for England and Scotland, going into finals day tomorrow, medals across all 5 events have been guaranteed. This is a feat not achieved since 2006, coincidentally when the games were also hosted in Australia. 

Rajiv Ouseph, after a tough match against the current world number 1, Srikanth Kidambi, came up against Srikanth’s Indian compatriot, H.S. Prannoy in the Men’s Singles bronze medal match. It looked like it was all over for Ouseph after losing the first set. But following a tough battle to win the 2nd set, a broken Prannoy could do nothing more to stop Ouseph winning the match 17-21, 25-23, 21-9. A well deserved second Commonwealth medal for England to go with his silver from 2010.

This bronze will go quite nicely with her silver
It was Scotland’s Kirsty Gilmour going strong in the Women’s Singles when nearly overcoming current bronze medallist from the Glasgow World Championships, India’s Saina Nehwal, in a gruelling 3 set match ending 21-14, 18-21, 21-17. In the bronze medal match, Gilmour faced Michelle Li of Canada. She used this great form from the lost semi-final and made quick work of Li and won 21-11, 21-16. Mirroring Ouseph in that this bronze will go quite nicely with her silver she won in 2014. 

In the Men’s Doubles, one of the semi-finals really caught the eye. The Olympic silver medallists, Malaysians Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong, versus the Olympic bronze medallists, Englishmen Chris Langridge and Marcus Ellis. Prior to this day, the Malaysians had always won. They played at the All England Open this year, and in the Commonwealth team event last week. And the Malaysians always came out on top. But today was England’s day and after a colossal effort they managed to win 15-21, 21-16, 21-15. They now will face the ever-improving Indian pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in the final. 

Very well handled 
It’s a similar script for England the Women’s Doubles with Lauren Smith and Sarah Walker easing their way into the final with a 21-15, 21-15 victory over the home fan’s favourites Gronya Sommerville and Setyana Mapasa of Australia. A match that could have gone either way. Mapasa proving to be a tricky opponent, but in the end very well handled by England. They now face New Zealand Open 2017 champions Vivan Hoo and Chow Mei Kuan from Malaysia for the Gold. 

And it’s a big surprise in the Mixed Doubles with an all English final. Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith, both of whom are in their own respective finals in the Men’s and Women’s Doubles, overcame a thrilling match with the fancied Indian pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa, who stole the show in India’s team event Gold. They booked their place in the final winning 20-22, 21-18, 21-16. Only to face fellow English pair Chris and Gabby Adcock, who themselves impressively overcame the current Olympic silver medallists Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying 21-19, 21-17. Gold is guaranteed for England, but who wants to be on the top step the most?



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