Emms to quit after Beijing Games

Emms (right) celebrates Olympic silver with Robertson in 2004

Olympic badminton silver medallist Gail Emms says she will retire from the sport after the Beijing Olympics and will not try to stay for London 2012.

Emms won silver with Nathan Robertson in the mixed doubles in Athens.

"If I stayed on for London in 2012 I would be 35. It is a great deal to ask to carry on until then," she said.

"It would be amazing to end that one step higher in Beijing. It will be my last championship and it is a great place to go out."

Feature: Gail Emms Beijing swansong

Masterclass: Get smashing with Robertson and Emms

Emms and Robertson were beaten by defending champions Ling Gao and Jun Zhang in the Olympic mixed doubles final three years ago.

After the match Emms said: "I think we exceeded what we expected to do out here but you go out there and you want to win and there is a gutting feeling when you lose."

Emms' long list of honours include winning gold at the 2006 World Championships and the 2004 European Championships in Geneva.

She also won gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, to go with a silver in the team event and a bronze in the women's doubles, which she also came third in with Joanne Goode in 2002.

She is a three-time national champion in the mixed doubles and has also won the women's doubles twice.