Glasgow 2014 - Commonwealth Games Sports Guide: Badminton

By Steven Oldham

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Badminton is a long-standing sport at the Commonwealths having debuted in Kingston, Jamaica back in 1966.

The sport is highly popular all over the world and there an estimated 200 million players across the planet be it professional, at school or on a Tuesday night at the local leisure centre.

Also an Olympic sports since 1992, six medal events will be contested in Glasgow - men's and women's singles, and men's, women's and mixed doubles and a mixed team event.

WHEN ?

Badminton is another sport that spans the whole eleven days of competition. From July 24-28, the mixed team event takes the stage. The singles and doubles competitions running from July 29-August 3, with all five finals on the last day.

WHERE?

All badminton tournaments are taking place at the Emirates Arena across six purpose-built courts.

WHO?

The traditional heavyweights in Commonwealth competition are England and Malaysia, and these two nations lie comfortably ahead of the rest on the all time medals table.

Malaysia have been the dominant force over recent Games, claiming six of the last ten available gold medals across both singles and doubles. However, this year they have been dealt with a blow with four-time Commonwealth champion Lee Chong Wei ruled out by injury. He is the country's most successful Olympian of all time and will be missed.

Seven-time and reigning national champion Rajiv Ouseph headlines the English team this year, alongside husband and wife mixed doubles pairing Chris and Gabby Adcock.

India emerged as a contender in their home Games in 2010, winning both the women's singles and doubles events and taking silver in the team event. Will they continue to grow as an international force in Glasgow or did they simply maximise on home advantage four years ago?

Glasgow-born Imogen Bankier is the poster girl for badminton in her home country  - she has won silver at the world championships and is also a European championship bronze medallist, both in mixed doubles. She will be looking to improve on her quarter final appearance in Delhi four years ago with partner Robert Blair.

LET ME SOUND LIKE I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT...

• Players take positions on opposite sides of the net, and use racquets to hit shuttlecocks over the net.
• Like other racquet sports, points are scored when the opponent hits the shuttlecock out of play or cannot return your shot - with the shuttlecock landing on their half of the net. Consecutive shots between players are called rallies.
• Matches are split into three games - the first player or team to score 21 points wins the game. If scores are tied at 20-20, a two points gap is needed to claim victory (23-21 for example)
• Outside the Commonwealth, the best nations include China, South Korea and Denmark. The Chinese are the most successful badminton nation.  

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Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei will miss out on Glasgow 2014
due to injury (allenglandbadminton.com)