Hallam gets Olympic campaign up and running

Posted: Wednesday 13th August 2008 | 8:54

TRACEY HALLAM set up a last 16 showdown with European champion Xu Huaiwen of Germany after an impressive start to her Olympic campaign in Beijing.

The 33-year-old followed up her straight games opening round win over Hong Kong's Yip Pui Yin with an equally emphatic victory over Kristina Ludikova.

Hallam, the world number 14, survived an early scare to win the first game 21-18 before moving through the gears to seal the second 21-13.

But after being put through her paces by the 19-year-old Czech, Hallam admitted she will need to up her game when she takes on the European champion and seventh seed.

"I'm a little bit disappointed with how a played but a win is a win," said Hallam.

"I always knew I had the experience to win but I should have done so more easily. I can't make errors like that in my next match, which is going to be tough.

"I should have kept things more simple but I found my feet I eventually got some nice momentum going."

DANIEL SCHOFIELD in Beijing