Part-timer Pittard claims national badminton title

BADMINTON was awarded £8.6 million in lottery funding by UK Sport but the English title has been won by an engineer dropped from the national programme.

POINT PROVED: Despite being dropped from the national team last year, 31-year old Jill Pittard wins the English women's singles title in Manchester (Getty Images)

Jill Pittard beat Jersey's Elizabeth Cann, the reigning champion, 21-19, 14-21, 27-25 to claim a £1,200 prize that will certainly come in useful.

At 31 Pittard, capped 12 times by England, certainly isn't the future but few would begrudge her this moment.

"I don't know what the future holds, maybe this will be my only time as national champion but at least I've won it at last," said Pittard.

"I don't know why I was dropped last summer, maybe it was my age. Whatever the reason, it's made me more determined to win this event.

"In many ways I think I've ended up with more individual attention and that has probably helped."

Rajiv Ouseph retained his national title with a straight-game 21-16, 21-15 win over Canadian-born second seed and world number 35 Carl Baxter, who has just received his British passport.

Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg also retained their mixed doubles title with a 21-10, 21-19 win over Chris Langridge and Sarah Bok.

Langridge and Bok beat Nathan Robertson and Jenny Wallwork in the semi-finals but announced they were going their separate ways following the final.

"This is only our fourth tournament together but it's going to be our last," said Langridge.

"We've had a difficult time with injuries and we have decided to give it a break. It's good to finish on a ‘goodish' result."

Kellogg then combined with Suzanne Rayappan to secure a thrilling women's double title against Wallwork and Gabby White, finally triumphing in a tense deciding set 21-14, 14-21, 25-23.

Top seeds Robertson and Anthony Clark were more comfortable in their men's doubles victory, beating Chris Adcock and Robert Blair 21-13, 21-11.

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RELATED: Robertson and Wallwork crash out of nationals

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