Sarah Walker Is Getting Ready For The Olympic Games

Sarah Walker has teamed up with Cabury Dairy Milk to help kick off the Keep Singing Keep Team GB Pumped campaign.

The badminton player has a huge 2012 ahead of as she is looking forward to playing at the London Olympics in the summer.

I caught up with her to talk about the campaign and how things are going ahead of the Olympic Games.

- You have teamed up with Cadbury Dairy Milk for the Keep Singing, Keep team GB Pumped so can you tell me a little bit about the campaign?

Its a great campaign making athletes motivated for the Olympics in an newfangled, very creative and fun way.

- The campaign is about using music to motivate athletes so what music/songs motivate you? 

On my warm up playlist a couple of my favourite songs are, Mr Brightside by the Killers and Rooftops by Lost Prophets

- I was reading that to win an Olympic medal is one of your ambitions so how realistic a goal is that for you next year?

I think my medal chance will be in Rio 2016 and everything from now until then is great experience to have under my belt.

- Who do you consider to be the major rivals next year?

Asian players are very dominant they are the ones to beat.

- The GB badminton squad seems pretty strong at the moment so what do you think the team can achieve next year?

Anything the team achieves next year will be amazing we are a young squad.

- You train in Milton Keynes so can you talk me through a standard week's training?

Every morning is around a 2hour on court session and every afternoon is 2hours of either on-court, weights or a cv.

It is the players responsibility to add in the extras such as prehab, rehab, psychology, physiotherapy. . .  (the list goes on) into their training week.

- And what aspects of your game do you still feel need to be improved upon?

You can always improve everything, my current draw back is getting how I play in training out into competition.

- How did you get into the sport of Badminton?

I come from a sport filled family and just took a to a badminton class very well and was then encouraged greatly by the coach to continue and improve.

- The Games is going to be a huge inspiration for kids up and down the country so what advice would you give for anyone who wants to take up badminton?

I would say its important to have fun with the game, you will learn easier faster and quicker if you enjoy yourself!

- Finally what's coming up for you in the first half of next year?

I am travelling around Europe in the new year and then I am back for the national championships before flying off again on the european circuit.

Olympic British athlete Sarah Walker stars in the latest track for Cadbury Dairy Milk's Keep Singing Keep Team GB Pumped campaign, as part of its London 2012 Olympic Games sponsorship, which aims to get the nation singing along to show their support for Team GB. For more information visit http://keepourteampumped.com.
 
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw