It was two years ago that Glasgow’s Imogen Bankier reached a career high when she partnered Edinburgh-born Robert Blair to the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles at the Yonex All-England Open in Birmingham, an event classed as ‘the Wimbledon of badminton’.

At the time, the pair had been together less than a year, were the reigning Bank of Scotland International Champions and were climbing rapidly into the top ten of the world rankings.

But, as is so often the way in sport, the period since that heady week at the National Indoor Arena has been far from smooth. In fact, for the past nine months, Imogen has spent more time in rehab than on a badminton court. Sidelined by a knee injury last June, she only made her comeback in late January.

However, with the 2012 Olympic Games very much the big goal, the signs are encouraging that the 22-year-old is on her way back to the upper echelons of the shuttlecock game. Not only is she back in harness with Blair, who represents England, but she and Edinburgh’s Emma Mason are also rapidly developing a reputation as a couple to watch in women’s doubles.

Mason, who herself spent 11 months out of action with a ruptured Achilles, has now joined Bankier as a member of the GB squad based at the National Centre at Milton Keynes. And, with the Commonwealth Games looming in India in October, it is a partnership that could certainly bear fruit for Scotland.

Bankier made her comeback from injury by reaching the final of the Swedish Open with Mason in January – then she claimed the brace of the women’s doubles (with Emma) and the mixed (with Watson Briggs) at the Yonex Scottish Championships last month. (February).

“It was a long time out and it’s just great to be back,” said Bankier, who gave up her studies for a law degree in order to pursue her dream of Olympic badminton glory.  “It was a really hard road but now I am just wanting to concentrate on the future.

“There are the Commonwealth Games this year, and the target is to get high enough in the rankings to make sure that Scotland gets to play in the team event (they missed out in Melbourne, 2006).”

At the All-England Championships, Bankier has been dealt a decent hand in the draw. In the first round of the women’s doubles, she and Mason meet Thailand’s Savitree Amitapai and Vacaharaporn Munkit.

In the mixed, Bankier and Blair – who have now slipped to No.72 in the world – open against a fellow British pair of Christopher Adcock and Gabby White.

Susan Egelstaff, the Bank of Scotland International Champion, is another Scot into the main draw for the All-England. She has also drawn an unseeded player in the first round in the guise of Japanese youngster, Sayako Sato.

EB
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