Progress towards 2012

Our preparations started a long time ago and we identified a number of key targets, including the World Championships this August. We [Adcock and his mixed doubles partner, Imogen Bankier] came out of that with a silver medal and we’ve followed that up with some good performances in tournaments since then. We now know that we’re good enough to get a medal at next year’s Olympics, it’s just finding consistency.

The World Championships are the same level of competition but there are so many more external factors with the Olympics, such as living in the village and being around all the athletes. Luckily, though, I went on the Olympic Ambition Programme in Beijing, which was an amazing experience as I got to live like an Olympic athlete and get used to those kind of surroundings. It’s important that we remain focused on what we’re there for, rather than just getting lost in it all, and enjoying the moment.

We showed at the worlds how good we are, but I also saw it as a loss because I believe we can win events like that. It’s now a case of getting on a good run, having a good training period and hopefully achieving something special. No one from Britain has ever won an Olympic gold in badminton and it would be amazing to be the first one to do it at home

Training schedule

I train six days a week, with Sundays as my day off although on Saturday I usually only do some cardiovascular work, either a run or a bike away from the centre around Milton Keynes. Monday to Friday I do six hours a day, usually four hours of badminton, and the rest in the gym doing weights, maybe some agility or more cardio stuff on the bike or treadmill. It’s nice to do different things: it ensures training doesn’t get boring

Biography

Born 27 April 1989, Nottingham

Educated Colonel Frank Seely School, Nottingham

Hobbies

I see my family and friends whenever I can, I play a bit of golf as well, just anything to keep my mind off the training. I do like going out for a nice meal, though – I spend a lot of time out of the country and you can get a bit bored of chicken and rice

Favourite film Gladiator – I must have seen it over 20 times.

If I hadn’t been a badminton player …

I played for Leicester City and Nottingham Forest as a junior, and it got to the stage where I could either be good at football or the best at badminton. I chose badminton

Key statistics

2007

Won European Championships in the men’s doubles alongside partner Peter Mills

2010

Won a bronze medal in the team event at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi

2011

Won a silver medal in the mixed doubles at the badminton world championships alongside partner Imogen Bankier

Olympic countdown

6 March 2012

Yonex All England Championships, Birmingham

16 April 2012

European Championships, Karlskrona, Sweden

3 May 2012

World rankings are published. These will determine whether players qualify for the Olympics

28 July 2012

Olympic badminton tournament starts at Wembley Arena in London

Team GB hopeful Chris Adcock was speaking to The Guardian, ahead of the BT British Olympic Ball on 7th October; a crucial fundraiser for Team GB in the run up to the London 2012 Olympic Games. BritishOlympicBall.com