Gilmour exits at group stage in Paris

Gilmour 800

Great Britain’s involvement in the Paris 2024 Olympics badminton competition came to an end in the group stage as Kirsty Gilmour was beaten in straight games by He Bing Jiao.

Gilmour started the winner-takes-all clash confidently and led for the majority of the first game, opening up a 20-16 lead.

But He saved all four game points to level the scores before some epic rallies as the game went down to the wire.

The world number nine ultimately came out on top 24-22 and took that momentum into the second game, quickly opening up a 9-1 advantage.

Gilmour clawed back ground but the deficit proved too big to make up as the Chinese star wrapped up a 21-8 second game victory to proceed to the knockout stages.

The Scot has exited at the group stage at three consecutive Olympics but leaves this one with a healthier sense of perspective which she hopes will stand her in good stead as she targets a fourth Games in LA.

“I’m really happy with the strides I’ve made,” they said.

“We decided not to put the weight of the world on this Olympic Games.

“This is by far the most prepared, confident, physically capable and mentally capable I’ve ever been at an Olympics.

“I’ve levelled up each time and this is the best badminton I’ve ever played at an Olympics. Maybe I’ll go for another one.”

Gilmour won their first two meetings with He but the last of those arrived at the 2017 World Championships and they arrived for their latest meeting having lost the last four clashes between the pair.

The 30-year-old began like a player determined to put the record straight, to which they also credited a fresh mindset.

“It was always going to be a tough one but we went into it with a clean slate,” she said.

“We’ve played each other a good few times, I won some at the start but she has won the last few.

“We decided to wipe the slate clean and play against a faceless opponent and I did that pretty well.

“I was delighted with how that first set went up until 20(-16). I was disappointed at the change of ends and couldn’t dominate the net like I did in the first set.

“Her overheads got pretty punchy. I struggled a little bit there.”

Ben Lane and Sean Vendy also departed at the group stage in the men’s doubles competition but Gilmour believes there are reasons to be optimistic for British badminton.

“I’m still on the go, Ben and Sean have a few more in them and we have some really good young ones coming through,” she added.

“I’m going to take a good break, go on holiday with my girlfriend and then I’ll hit the ground running.”