Commonwealth Games: ‘My medal, it’s going straight in the trophy cabinet’

Ellis and Smith settled for a second successive mixed doubles silver after losing 16-21 15-21 to Singapore’s Terry Hee and Jessica Tan.

The couple put up a spirited display but came off second best despite the efforts of the home crowd who were out in force for Monday’s 8am start on the last day of action in Birmingham.

Ellis, 32, said: “We have to give credit to our Singapore opponents, they didn’t allow us a sniff today. They made it uncomfortable for us all match.

“More than anything we have to credit our opponents. We didn’t play the way we wanted to, but that was because of them not allowing us to.

“Sometimes, you have to say, they were just better today, and they brought their top game. They have been great all tournament and today, there was not much we could have done.”

Smith and Ellis swatted aside Scotland’s Adam Hall and Julie Macpherson 21-14 21-7 in Sunday’s semi-final.

Ellis said they would have been thrilled to medal before arriving in the second city but admitted it is always bittersweet emerging with silver having got down to the final two. “If you told us we were going to win a badminton medal beforehand, we would have been over the moon with that,” he explained.

“But when you get to the final, it’s a 50:50 whether someone wins or loses. The competitor inside me said a gold is the only thing acceptable, but I’m so grateful I’m walking away with a medal, it’s going straight in the trophy cabinet.”

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