Dream come true for Chris Adcock as he and wife Gabby get the Olympic call

Chris Adcock described the prospect of walking out at an Olympic Games alongside his wife Gabby as a dream come true after the pair were named in Team GB's squad for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Jun 2016, 09:48 GMT
Updated 29th Jun 2016, 10:53 GMT
Gabby and Chris AdcockGabby and Chris Adcock
Gabby and Chris Adcock

The Adcocks have played badminton alongside each other since they were teenagers and have been married since 2013, although Chris partnered Imogen Bankier in the build-up to and during London 2012, where they exited the competition at the group stage.

Chris and Gabby Adcock reunited in 2013 just before their wedding and are now ranked seventh in the world after their BWF World Superseries Finals victory in Dubai in December.

And despite their place being all-but guaranteed for several months, Monday morning’s announcement at the National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes was still a special moment for the couple.

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Chris said: “This is the first time that we have had Rio our tops on and it is really exciting. It is a good feeling right now.

“I am as excited now as I was before London 2012 and it is such a special thing to go to any Olympic Games.

“It is even more exciting that I get to go with Gabby. It will be a dream come true walking out with Team GB on my back alongside Gabby. I am really excited by the prospect.

“We have both been to multiple Commonwealth Games and been successful and we will be playing the same people that we usually play [in regular competitions] on the same size court, in the same sport, so it is still a badminton competition.

“We will be going out there a week before to the Olympic Village and that will be a great experience but we will be fully focussed on performing well and if we perform well then we will experience the whole event even more.”

The Adcocks showed they can challenge the best in the world with their BWF World Superseries Finals, as well as handle multi-sport competitions after claiming gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

And Gabby is confident they can make the podium if they perform when it matters most later this summer.

The 25-year-old added: “We obviously want to come back with gold.

“Standing on that podium at an Olympics is a dream so to do that would be a surreal feeling.”

For more reaction go to badmintonengland.co.uk or sign up to receive their free Fan Club Daily Rio Reports for the latest news, behind the scenes footage and Team GB player interviews throughout the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at www.badmintonengland.co.uk/fanclub

Related topics:Milton Keynes