TWO years after winning a Commonweath badminton team gold medal at the Bolton Arena, gallant Britons Gail Emms and Nathan Robertson had to settle for Olympics silver in Athens on Thursday afternoon.

Ling Gao and Jun Zhang of China beat them 15-1, 12-15, 14-12 to win Olympic gold in a memorable mixed doubles match.

The couple from Milton Keynes spurred on by a small band of suppporters were pipped in an epic final by the back-to-back champions.