Clark gets chance to defend European title in Manchester

ANTHONY Clark has been given the chance to defend his mixed doubles title at next month's European Championships in Manchester after he and partner Heather Olver were handed a wildcard.

WILDCARD: Depsite not having enough ranking points, Anthony Clark has been given the chance to defend his European mixed doubles crown with new partner Heather Olver (Getty Images)

Clark, 32, scooped the European title with now retired partner Donna Kellogg, with whom he also collected World Championships silver and reached fourth in world rankings.

Having only teamed up with Olver in January, Clark and his new partner did have sufficient ranking points to return to the competition at the MEN Arena.

But organisers have decided to hand Clark and Olver entry into the tournament, ensuring there will be six British mixed doubles pairs, including Olympic silver medallist Nathan Robertson and Jenny Wallwork.

Robertson and Clark will also be in action together as one of seven British pairs in the men's doubles.

England's top three men's singles players Rajiv Ouseph, Andrew Smith and Carl Baxter have all entered while Scotland's Susan Egelstaff will take part in the women's competition and Wallwork and Gabby White will lead the home charge in the women's doubles.