GREAT Britain claimed its first Olympic badminton silver medal in a gutsy final writes Angela Kelly

Chinese No.2 pair and reigning Olympic mixed doubles champions Gao Ling and Jun Zhang just beat Gayle Emms and Nathan Robertson in three games after the British duo came back from a disastrous start.

They lost the first game 1-15 in just 13 minutes, thanks largely to the power smashing of left-handed Jun and the lightning net interceptions of Gao.

The two British 27-year-old European champions were not allowed to play their game, but they learned their lesson.

They started off like rockets in the second set, turning the tables, to pin Gao at the back and force Jun to the front where he made a series of unforced errors.

Nathan and Gayle had most success when he was at the back smashing and swift-footed Gayle was guarding the net, dead-dropping and making the Chinese play out of position.

Service went back and forth, but at 14-12 they regained the service and clinched the final point for the second game.

Unfortunately, they began the third game much as they had in the first with the Chinese duo making the play. It was nip and tuck to 11 all but, in spite of some brilliant changes of pace from Nathan and the deft touch of Gayle, the Chinese took charge.

The serve changed hands at 14-12, but the Brits could not steady their game enough to win and the Chinese took the final point to retain their Olympic crown.