Wallwork takes the blame but Yorkshire still shines

JENNY WALLWORK was quick to shoulder the blame as her Commonwealth Games experience ended on a low note – her second disappointment in a heartbreaking 24 hours.

Wallwork and partner Nathan Robertson were the fancied duo ahead of their mixed doubles badminton final in Delhi.

But they were beaten by Malaysia's Kien Keat Koo and Ee Hui Chin after an off-colour performance and were forced to settle for silver in the Indian capital.

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Wallwork had inspired a stirring fightback in the opening game but committed a silly error when serving to take an early advantage, a mistake which the Malaysians pounced on to win 22-20, 21-12.

It left the 23-year old, who won European bronze with Robertson earlier this year, at a low ebb, especially after her defeat in the women's doubles bronze match with Gabby White a day previously.

"I just tensed up a little bit," said Leeds-based Wallwork.

"They aren't really an established pair but I don't think I've ever seen them play that well.

"We just couldn't keep up the pace with them after we so narrowly lost the first game.

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"I was so disappointed after the women's doubles but I was really focussed and it was out of my head because there was that gold at stake.

"There wasn't pressure, there was just excitement. It was still great to reach the final because we've not been playing together for that long."

Four years ago Robertson won the Commonwealth title with former partner Gail Emms, two years after they won Olympic silver in Athens.

Wallwork knows she will always live in the shadow of the bubbly Emms but insists a solid season, which has seen her win two national titles, shows things are looking good ahead of London 2012.

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"Hopefully we can really go for it in the next couple of years," she added.

"Gail was a fantastic player but we are now establishing ourselves as a pair to be reckoned with."

Despite Wallwork's disappointment her silver medal capped off an impressive Games for the Yorkshire contingent, claiming 23 medals in total including four golds.

Squash player Nick Matthew was the undisputed star of the show, claiming half of the golds with victory in the singles and men's doubles tournaments.

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However, it will be Danielle Brown's efforts that will stand out in the years to come.

The Bradford archer made history by becoming the first disabled athlete to take an able-bodied medal for the England team with gold in the women's compound team event.

"It was an amazing feeling to win the gold," said Brown. "Especially as I wasn't going to try and qualify for the Games. I was out in Arizona and I only had a few days to qualify and I wasn't sure I wanted to go back and do it, but I'm glad I did."

Race-walker Johanna Jackson completed the Yorkshire winners, while Rotherham swimmer Joe Roebuck was the stand-out name among those with silver, bagging two in the pool alongside Hull's Lizzie Simmonds (silver) and Northallerton's Jo Jackson (bronze).

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Lizzie Armitstead (silver) and Anna Blyth (bronze) claimed cycling medals while Alex Smith grabbed silver in the hammer.

Matthews's two squash golds were added to with silver medals for James Willstrop and Jenny Duncalf, while Amy Oliver (silver) followed record-breaker Brown onto the archery podium.

Shooter Michelle Smith and table tennis ace Daniel Reed (both silver), tennis player Sarah Borwell (bronze) and badminton star White (bronze) completed the Yorkshire haul.

But there was to be no fairytale ending for Sheffield-born shooter Mick Gault.

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The 56-year-old went into the event needing four medals to become the most decorated competitor in Commonwealth history in what was his final Games.

However, it was not to be as he could only manage two to end on 17 – one shy of record holder, Australian Phillip Adams.

Gault said: "That's it; it is all over for Mick Gault the shooter."

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