Gail Emms's Biography
Who is Gail Emms?
Gail Emms was born on 23 July 1977 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. In her time Emms has been ranked number 1 in Women's (with Donna Kellogg) and Mixed Doubles where she partners Nathan Robertson.In 2006 Gail Emms and Nathan Robertson won the mixed doubles title at badminton's World Championships beating their friends Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg 21-15 21-12 in the final.
Gail plays for Hvidovre BC in Copenhagen as well as Hertfordshire.
She started playing badminton at four and fourteen years later she had her England debut in 1995 against China. She had started playing badminton tournaments from just seven years old.
In 2004 Gail Emms won an Olympic Games Silver Medal with Nathan Robertson in the mixed doubles in Athens 2004.
Two years previously she had won gold at the Manchester Commonwealth Games. Gail's mother used to play women's football for England including in the women's World Cup in Mexico City. Gail's hobbies include Hockey and Yoga. Emms is an exceptional attacking player who is very strong at the net.
You can find out more about Gail Emms in the Badminton England site. Gail had a fit of the giggles in the 2006 Commonwealth Games when she was partnering Donna Kellogg. Gail hit the shuttlecock into the net and I believe it bounced back and went down her front.
Gail and Donna, who is nicknamed Special K, won a bronze at the 2006 Commonwealth Games whilst Gail and Nathan took the gold in the mixed doubles beating New Zealands Daniel Shirley and Sara Runesten Petersen 21-17, 21-10 in the final.
In the 2006 European Championships Gail Emms and Donna Kellogg won the women's doubles.
Gail Emms had a slightly disappointing Beijing Olympics, from which she went home without a medal. She had already announced that she was retiring after the 2008 Beijing Games.
In 2009, she was awarded the MBE for services to badminton.
On 2 August 2017, Gail Emms wrote a moving account of her financial difficulties and the troubles faced by sports people after they retire.
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