English Badminton star Donna Kellogg today announced her retirement from top-class badminton.

The reigning European mixed doubles champion confirmed her decision on arriving home from her final Super Series tournament, the China Open in Shanghai, where she and Anthony Clark reached the last 16.

She will play one last event if she receives, as expected, an invitation to the BWF World Super Series Masters Finals in Malaysia from December 2-6.

The England and Great Britain star from Derby will leave international badminton with a long list of successes to her name after a 12-year career which began with a daunting debut for a 19-year-old in facing China at the 1997 Sudirman Cup World Team Championships in Glasgow.

But within a year she was claiming the first of her 11 English National titles with Joanne Goode and the pair went on to win 1998 Commonwealth Games gold and followed it up with European gold in 2000.

Six years later she recaptured the European crown with Gail Emms and the pair, who at their best were among the top four pairs in the world, were one win away from retaining their title last year.

In the last three years her mixed doubles partnership has brought Kellogg even more success. She and Anthony Clark won the silver medal at the 2006 World Championships in Madrid, finishing runners-up to their great friends, Emms and Nathan Robertson.

But second best wasn’t good enough for Kellogg and Clark. Within a month they won the Denmark Open and four months later they defeated Robertson and Emms for the first time to win the first of four successive English National mixed doubles titles.

Last year also saw Clark and Kellogg lift the European title and in the last three years the pair have reached the Yonex All England, the Swiss, French and, just last month, the Denmark final – performances which helped lift them into the top five in the world rankings.
Kellogg won her 88th and final England cap against Japan last month, appropriately at Loughborough University where she gained her degree in Physical Education, Sport Science and Recreational Management.

In team events Kellogg was a key figure in the bronze medal success at the Sudirman Cup in 2007, a member of the last two silver medal winning squads at the European Team Championships and won team gold at both the 1998 and 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Donna, who has battled foot and back injuries during her career, accepted that her decision to stop now means she misses the 100th Yonex All England Championships in Birmingham and the chance to defend her European title in Manchester over the next four months.

But she explained: “I have already won several European titles and there are always major championships just around the corner. I had decided some time ago that the end of the year was probably going to be the right time to stop. I have had a brilliant career and I am proud of all the medals and titles I have won.”

Of coach Andy Wood she said: “I have worked with some great coaches but I have known Andy since I attended one of his school summer camps and he has been part of my career ever since.”

And of her three-world class partners Goode, Clark and Emms, she added: “I would also like to thank Jo, Anthony and Gail for helping me achieve success at international level.
“Since Gail retired last year I have been able to focus solely on mixed and Anthony and I have enjoyed this year and had some good wins.

“I would also like to thank all the other people who have given me so much support and guidance throughout my career.”

And of the future she said: “I am looking forward to a new life with fresh challenges and spending more time with family and friends.”

Adrian Christy, BADMINTON England’s Chief Executive, said: “Donna has been an outstanding ambassador for badminton in this country. We are very lucky to have many tremendous role models, past and present, for young players to follow and admire and Donna is right up there with the best of them.

“We fully respect Donna’s decision and know that whatever the future holds it will bring her great success. I wish her well in the future.

“She has been a great servant to English and GB badminton and has played a significant role in raising the profile of our sport in this country and internationally. I very much hope she will continue to be involved in badminton in some way; she has far too much to offer.”

Donna Kellogg’s England Roll of Honour

England debut aged 19 v China at the Sudirman Cup in 1997
Caps: 88 (final appearance v Japan at Loughborough University in October 2009)

World Championships
Mixed doubles
2006 – Silver medal with Anthony Clark

Sudirman Cup World Team Championships
2007 bronze medal

European Championships
Women’s doubles
2000 – Gold medal with Joanne Goode
2006 – Gold medal with Gail Emms
2008 – Silver medal with Gail Emms

Mixed doubles
2008 – Gold medal with Anthony Clark
2006 – Bronze medal Anthony Clark

Team silver: 2000, 2002, 2008 and 2009 Team bronze: 2006.

Commonwealth Games
1998 Team gold and women’s doubles gold with Joanne Goode and mixed doubles bronze with Chris Hunt
2002 Team gold
2006 Team silver and women’s doubles bronze medal with Gail Emms

English National Championships
Women’s doubles winner
1998 with Joanne Goode
2003, 2005, 2006 2007 with Gail Emms
2008 with Tracey Hallam
2009 with Suzanne Rayappan
Mixed doubles winner
2004 with Simon Archer
2007, 2008 and 2009 with Anthony Clark

World Grand Prix events
Women’s doubles
2000 Indonesian Open winner with Joanne Goode
2005 Korean Open runner-up with Gail Emms
2006 Danish Open runner-up with Gail Emms

Mixed doubles
2006 Denmark Open winner with Anthony Clark
2007 Yonex All England Open runner-up with Anthony Clark
2007 China Masters runner-up with Anthony Clark
2008 Swiss Open runner-up with Anthony Clark
2008 French Open runner-up with Anthony Clark
2008 Singapore runner-up with Anthony Clark
2009 Denmark Open runner-up with Anthony Clark

Olympic Games
Beijing 2008
Represented GB in women’s doubles with Gail Emms and mixed doubles with Anthony Clark.
Sydney 2000
Represented GB in women's doubles with Jo Goode and mixed doubles with Chris Hunt
Athens 2004
Represented GB in women's doubles with Gail Emms

Notes to Editors:
About BADMINTON England
BADMINTON England is the sport's governing body in England. Based at the National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes, it provides a structure for the sport from Board and Council, senior management, specialist staff at headquarters, county associations and clubs right the way through to individual members and volunteers.

The organisation is responsible for the management and training of the elite England squad, and works alongside the other home nation governing bodies to prepare British players for the Olympics. BADMINTON England also co-ordinates a development network that provides a pathway for aspiring players to progress from schools and clubs to the national squad.
In addition, the governing body offers information about the game, runs coaching courses, tournaments from county to international standard, sells books and videos, and promotes the sport at all levels.