English National Badminton Championships 2012 Announcement

The finest badminton players in England will be competing in the upcoming English National Badminton Championships 2012.

It will be held at Bolton Arena from the 3rd to 5th of February, where the semi-finals and finals will take place during the weekend.

This is a fantastic opportunity for badminton fans around the UK to catch the LIVE badminton action. This year's national championships will be extra meaningful as it will determine who will represent England in the London Olympics 2012.

Expect Intense Competition

The players will definitely be going "all-in", fighting for their place to represent their country.

Being able to qualify for the Olympic Games is a 'once in a lifetime' career opportunity for every badminton player. Obtaining the Olympic medal is the ultimate dream for a professional shuttler.

The English National Championships is THE perfect stepping stone for all English badminton players to achieve their dreams.

New Venue

The 2012 English National Badminton Championships will be staged at Bolton Arena for the FIRST TIME. The change should be better for both players and spectators because the stadium was used to host the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

The Big Guns of England

The BEST badminton players in the country will be present at the National Badminton tournament.

Some are very well known locally while a few are international stars.

Among the big guns that'll compete in the tournament are:

Commonwealth Games silver medallist, Rajiv Ouseph
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, Elizabeth Cann
International doubles star, Anthony Clark
2011 Badminton World Championships runner up, Chris Adcock and Imogen Bankier
Former mixed doubles World Champion, Nathan Robertson
Jenny Wallwork
Robert Blair
Andrew Ellis
Jenny Wallwork

Preliminary Highlights

Men's Singles

The no.1 English badminton singles player Rajiv Ouseph will be eyeing his FIFTH win at the 2012 National Badminton Championships.

If Rajiv wins this tournament again, he will level Darren Hall's record of 5 consecutive National Badminton Championship wins.

That's an "if" because Rajiv's main rival, Carl Baxter, will be up to prevent that from happening. He is expected to put up a strong fight against Rajiv this time.

They have met in the finals in the past 4 occasions where Rajiv solidified his position as a champion, so expect Carl Baxter to seek revenge.

The Big Guns in Men's Doubles

Anthony Clark & Kristian Roebuck

International badminton doubles star Anthony Clark has retired from international competitions. It was also unfortunate that he was not able to compete in the 2011 national championships due to an eye injury.

But he is back this year! He's still keen to win his TENTH title at this competition.

His men's doubles partner in this 2012 season will be Kristian Roebuck.

Chris Adcock & Andrew Ellis

Young and aggressive pair Chris Adcock and Andrew Ellis might prove a huge obstacle for Clark and Roebuck, as they are also out to grab the title.

Chris Langridge & Peter Mills

Defending champion Chris Langridge will be teaming up with a new partner, Peter Mills. Will this new partnership work out well?

Will the 2012 title go to the young and dangerous pair Adcock/Ellis? Will Anthony Clark's new partnership prove lethal?

These familiar faces in the world of badminton are all world class players and it will definitely be worth catching the action.

A Big Surprise

Interestingly, Rajiv Ouseph (singles player) will also compete in the men's doubles event!

Today we rarely see players specialise in badminton singles and doubles. It's certainly interesting to see how the singles national champion will perform in a doubles match.

The battle between all these players for their home championship's title will definitely be thrilling.

Who to Watch in Women's Doubles

Jenny Wallwork & Gabby White

Defending champions Jenny Wallwork and Gabby White, also well known internationally, will be expected to make it to the finals of the 2012 English National Badminton Championships.

They were the defending champions and winners for the past 2 years.

Mariana Agathangelou & Heather Olver

Mariana Agathangelou and Heather Olver stand a good chance on defeating Jenny and Gabby this season. Lately, their performance have been relatively good.

They are higher in terms of BWF ranking points and will probably represent England in the London Olympic Games if they can maintain their ranking status.

Jenny and Gabby will need to work harder for the National Championships as well as for the upcoming Olympic Games.