PORTRAITS

• TODAY • Day TWO • Day ONE • RICHARD EATON • PORTRAITS •

Nationals PORTRAITS

Interviews with players and personalities at the Badminton Nationals ...

Gail Emms, Charity Barnes, Caroline Westley, Rajiv Ouseph, Anthony Clark, Aamir Ghaffar, Chris Hunt, Panuga Riou, Cheryl Goodwin ...

Richard Frost talks to Panuga Riou, 14 (after losing to Caroline Westley 21-12, 21-15 in 27 mins in the quarter-finals on her Nationals debut)

Are you pleased with how the tournament went?

I'm very pleased to get so far. I knew if I played OK, I could get to the quarter-finals, so I think that I've done well.

Have you ever been to Manchester before?

No, this is my first time - Manchester is a nice place. I had a quick tour of the sights last night, but ended up getting lost for a while because it's so big!

Would you say there's a lot of competition in the junior badminton ranks at the moment?

There are a few more good players in my year and the year above, so I'm surprised there aren't more people of my age here.

And do you have a message for any budding young badminton players out there?

If you dream it, then you can do it!

Cheryl Goodwin, physiotherapist

How have you found the tournament so far?

It's been relatively quiet with injuries so far, to be honest. A few players have come to me to get strappings on their legs and a few more for shin-splints, but to be honest it might be more pschological support than anything!

How does the physio department work at the National Championships?

There's two of us working during the weekend. I'm employed by Manchester City Council and I look after all of the players who need physio work, whatever their status. Then there's a second physio who just looks after the players on the elite setup, although we sometimes overlap if it gets very busy and the other physio needs some help.

What do you do away from the championships?

I work in a private practice based in Stockport, which specialises in sports injuries. But to be honest, I don't really play badminton myself. I prefer squash and running - I'll be doing the Great Manchester Run later this year, which should be fun.

Richard Frost talks to Chris Hunt, oldest player at the tournament, 38 years old (after he and Simon Archer bt Andrew Penn and Rowan Taylor 21-18, 21-15)

So Chris, are you happy with your performance?

Well, put it this way, at least I didn’t need my zimmerframe out there today!

Are you aware that you’re officially the oldest player competing this year?

No, I didn’t realise that. I guess it’s something to be proud of. But it’s never a good sign when neither you or your team-mate can get to the drop shots. We both just tend to look at each other and shrug our shoulders!

What was your preparation like for the tournament?

Well, I only had three weeks practice for the championships and nothing at all before that. I dislocated my shoulder a few years ago and I’m more involved in the coaching side than anything now. I’m actually coaching one of the other players here.

What are your thoughts about Dean George and Chris Tonks, your opponents in the next round?

Well, all I know is that they’re both young players, so it should be a good test for us. Mind you, everybody seems young to me. If you’re under 37, you’re young in my book!

Hunt & Archer bt [4] Tonks & Gorge
21-11, 21-19 (34m)
and by all accounts they were brilliant ...

Richard Frost interviews Gail Emms, after Emms & Robertson bt Ellis & Agathangelou 21-19, 21-16 in 22mins

Are you happy with the result?

Yes, it’s absolutely fine! We’ve just come up from Milton Keynes. When you’ve had a 2-3 hour drive, it can be hard as everybody’s expecting great things but we’re just happy to get through. I’m absolutely knackered!

Are you happy be back in Manchester?

Definitely. I love being back here! It’s a shame we only get to come to Manchester once a year. I’ve got a couple of friends in the city so it’s nice to meet up with them.

What do you do in Manchester?

I love the shopping in Manchester. Obviously, it’s nice being at Sportcity but it’s very self-contained and there’s not really much to do. So it’s great to shop in Selfridges and Harvey Nicks – I just look around really, didn’t buy anything this time around though.

Are you expecting the same Nationals final this year?

Yeah, I’m definitely expecting the same final against Anthony and Donna. It’ll also be the same final as in the world championships. Having the same final in the Nationals as in the world championships will be great for English badminton. And I’m also expecting to face Jo [Nicholas] and Natalie [Munt] in the women’s doubles [alongside Kellogg].

Are you coping OK with all of the attention?

The attention’s exhausting but it’s OK because everyone’s nice and it’s quite sweet when all the kids are chasing after you. The only thing is, if one finds out that it’s you, then they all come after you! But it’s only a problem if you make it a problem.

Richard Frost interviews Charity Barnes, after winning her Women’s singles versus Elena Johnson, 18-21, 21-13, 24-22 in 46 mins

How did you find it on the court?

It was very hot in there. I didn’t play well in the first game at all, but then the second went much better. I was 10-4 up, but then the stoppage came because sunlight was reflecting off upper windows and the judge decided it was reflecting in Elena's eyes.

I was a bit worried at that point because it was going so well and I’ve never had a stoppage like that before. But in the end I won the second at a canter, so I don’t think it affected me much. Maybe it affected her more.

Do you enjoy the closer games more?

No, I don’t really like tense games at all and nor does my mum, though thankfully she’s not here today.

Are you balancing the demands of badminton, university and a part-time job OK?

I’m finding it really difficult to balance everything at the moment. I’m in my final year of uni (at Hertfordshire University) and I do a part-time job as well. So I’m only managing to do an hour a week of training, which is pretty rubbish!

But I finish uni in the summer and then it all depends on money whether I take up badminton full-time or not. I’ll probably go part-time at first and see how it goes.

How did you find your new women’s doubles partner [Helen Davies, after Caroline Smith dropped out at the last minute]?

I know her from the junior circuit. So I’ve known her for a few years, but we’ve never played doubles together before! I’m a singles player but I figured what’s the point in playing maybe two matches when I could play doubles as well?

It’s true she was stuck in traffic for a while [Davies, earlier today] but she’s here now. The only thing is, she’s forgotten her kit! So she’s going to buy some clothes from the shops around the arena, which should be interesting! I don’t think we’ll last very long!

Doubles only for Blair

I've not played singles since a junior, you have to do very different training for that. I don't think I'd do very well if I turned up for the singles, I'd get very tired, it's better when you only have to cover half the court ...

Richard Eaton talks to ...
“My preparation has gone right and I have been training with a few of the top players – Toby (Honey) and Aamir (Ghaffar) – and it’s been quite good. “I thought I would try to get used to the hall again, and get my length right. I was playing a little bit loose and he was winning some points. “But I felt I was still in control and I was pleased that when I increased the pace and was more attacking it worked straight away. I feel ready for tomorrow.	”I’ve been ill with a chest infection and unable to take medicine (because of the anti-doping rules). You are helpless as an athlete and you would like a little help when you are ill. “But things which would work are on the banned list. It does make the recovery longer. “But I don’t think you can open it up and make it more flexible, because people will take the mickey. If you open the doors to certain things the floodgates open and people will be taking all sorts. “I think it’s the right way. If you are ill you have to suffer. And maybe do bad performances for a month or so. But Peter Jeffrey (an England) was ill once - but not that ill, and he carried on training. His entire body shut down, and he was in a bad way for a year. He couldn’t even dress himself. That’s what you worry about.”	“For me this tournament is a stepping stone. I want to win internationally, but I have been losing in the first and second rounds internationally which is killing my confidence. “My funding depends on international results, so my aim is to do well here to help me do better internationally. “I have had a lot of changes in my life. We had a new coach, Lee Jae Bok, with a change of style. I played well at Anaheim (world championships 2005) and when I came back, played bad. “When we came back from the Commonwealth Games I had to sort my private life out for one and a half months and lost my confidence again. “The singles players’ training was decentralized and we have fewer players to practise with. And Tom John is a different style of coach again from Lee. “In one year I have been adjusting all the time. You could call me a confused player. I want to put that right here.”

Fateha Khalik interviews Caroline Westley after beating third seed Rachel Howard
7-21, 21-17, 21-19 in 45 mins to reach the quarter-finals.

"It's the first time I've beaten Rachel this season and I'm really pleased. It's good to come back after my knee operation - I had a bit of wear and tear and was out of action for 18months.

My head wasn't there in the first game, I made so many errors, trying to prove myself. So I relaxed and thankfully I felt really good in the last two games.

My aim is to play my best, maybe not win but just to show that those 18 months of not playing haven't put me out. I'm here to prove to the England managers and other players and everyone else that I'm still up there with them.

I don't think my ranking will be high enough to be able to qualify for the all-England, especially with my layoff. Maybe next year, hopefully.

I think Jill Pittard's looking strong this year - I train with her in Loughborough sometimes and she might win it, she's very good.

I've never seen my next opponent Riou play but I've heard good things about her. I guess I'll just have to go out there and play my best and try to win, really.

I quite like playing in Manchester, it's got better and better each year, it's excellent.

I hope my knee doesn't affect my play, I'll just be pleased to see how far I can go. I study full-time at Loughborough and I'm in my final (4th) year of Accounting and Finance. It's quite tough studying and playing, but I'm an organised person so hopefully I'll be able to manage, I'm hoping to do a masters too.

• TODAY • Day TWO • Day ONE • RICHARD EATON • PORTRAITS •