Nottinghamshire Junior News

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21st March 2006

Adcock Grabs National Title

Chris Adcock has bounced back from an horrific broken leg to claim three national badminton titles at U17 level.

And the 16-year-old from Ravenshead has warned his rivals to watch out because his year-long absence from the sport following his triple break in a freak on-court accident has made him hungrier than ever.

Adcock took the men's doubles, mixed doubles and singles title at the national championships in Hatfield to set two new national records.

Remarkably, it was the first singles competition he had contested since breaking his leg in autumn 2004.

But Adcock is now the first English Junior to win all three titles in the same year at three different age groups. He has now done it at U-13, U-15 and U-17.

And the teenager, who is studying for A-levels at Colonel Frank Seeley School in Calverton, has now set the record for the most junior national titles won by one player - a staggering 14.

Adcock said: "It was awesome to be honest and I went in and played my first singles competition since the injury so it was great to win all three.

"When I came back from the injury I was more hungry and I went a year without playing and it did my head in.

"I saw people I knew I was better than winning tournaments and it made me want to come back and beat them.

"I wanted to come back and put them in their place and stamp my authority back on the game.

"A lot of people have patches where they get a bit bored but after a long period out it makes me appreciate it more and I am always up for training and tournaments."

Now he has a big year ahead of him with the under-19 European Championships in Milton Keynes next month followed by the under-17 Euro Championships in Stockholm a few weeks later.

But his big test will come in October at the World Junior Championships in October when he takes on the best in the world.

"I have got some big tournaments this year and the worlds in Korea in the under-19s and to get a medal there would be great," said Adcock.

"The Beijing Olympics may be too soon but I am aiming for 2012 in London."

Fellow Notts badminton player Nathan Robertson put the sport on the map with his silver in the mixed doubles with Gail Emms at the 2004 Olympics. And Adcock wants to eventually take over his crown as the top player in England.

He said: "I know Nathan Robertson and I see him a few times and have been out for meals with him.

"I have spoken to him and he is still enjoying all the attention the Olympics brought to him and he still gets recognised in the street.

"He will still be there at the 2008 Olympics but I want to take over from him and take over the mantle and do well."

Adcock, who turns 17 next month, is having to combine the first year of his A-levels with a vigorous training schedule.

But he says it is worth it and once he finishes he plans to go full-time in the sport to achieve his goals.

He said: "It is tough combining my A-levels and training but I manage it and have found a way of dealing with it.

"But I train three times a week at the Institute of Sport at Sheffield and once at Holme Pierrepont at the least and I am always playing in tournaments.

"Once I finish my studies I am hoping to go full time at Sheffield at the Institute of Sport to help make my goal of the 2012 Olympics."

By Stevie Roden - Nottingham Evening Post Tuesday - 21st March 2006

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