Imogen Bankier is Scotland's last hope at the European Championships at Karlskrona in Sweden today after teenager Kirsty Gilmour's promising run came to an end last night (18 April).

19 April 2012

The 18-year-old from Bothwell lost her last 16 clash with former champion Yao Jie of Holland, going down 21-12 21-8. Earlier in the day Gilmour and Jillie Cooper had lost in the women’s doubles.

But, as expected, world silver medallist Bankier and her English partner Chris Adcock had no trouble reaching the mixed doubles quarter-finals.

Bankier and Adcock, who started with a bye then a walkover, toppled Anton Kaisti and Jenny Nystrom of Finland 21-15 21-6.

They now face GB rivals Nathan Robertson and Jenny Wallwork for the third time as the year-long Olympic qualifying race heads into its last 10 days.

The England pair won in three games in Malaysia in January while Bankier and Adcock won 25-23 in the decider at last month’s Swiss Open.

In today’s world rankings Adcock and Bankier remained at No 10 in the world with Robertson and Wallwork at No. 20.

Robertson and Wallwork won a bronze at the Europeans in Manchester two years ago and whoever wins today will also be assured at least a bronze with top seeds Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christina Pedersen of Denmark or 2010 silver medallists Robert Mateusiak and Nadiezda Zieba, the Polish third seeds, the semi-final opponents.

In today’s new rankings Susan Egelstaff remains ahead of Elizabeth Cann. Both reached semi-finals in Peru and Holland respectively last weekend but Egelstaff lost 4,000 points after her Dutch Open win last year dropped off. She is now 36 in the world with Cann, who lost in the third round in Karlskrona last night, is No. 50.

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