Badminton

Badminton

Kelly MorganWALES badminton ace Kelly Morgan - who has only recently returned to the game since giving birth to son Ethan last year - failed in her bid to defend her Commonwealth Games singles title in Melbourne last month.

The Tonteg product suffered a straight sets defeat to top seed Tracey Hallam 21-10 21-13 and admitted she has yet to return to full fitness.

"I knew it was going to be tough, but I enjoyed it," said Morgan, who also lost in the first round of the mixed doubles with Richard Vaughan. "I was happy with my performance because I know I am not back to full fitness.

"I was not seeded so I knew I was going to come up against a tough player. I was hoping I was going to get a draw against an easier seed, but if you are going to win it you have to beat the best."

Morgan will continue playing competitively, but did not figure in this month's European Championships.

The 30-year-old admits the support she receives from her family allows her to juggle the two commitments of a family and a sporting career.

"I want to carry on playing but Ethan takes priority," said Morgan. "It is fine mixing the two because my family are really close and they want to have him when I am training."

Morgan reached the last 16 of the women's singles at the Sydney Olympics. Morgan won a silver medal at the 1998 European Championships and bronze in 2000, the year in which she reached her highest ranking so far as world No 5.

Wales' only female representative at the European Championships this year was Harriett Johnson, ranked 34 in Europe, who went out 21-8 21-10 in the second round to runner-up Mia Audina of the Netherlands, who was competing on home soil.

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