Ella Tripp retires
Author: BADMINTON England
Date: 17 May 2007
Category: Interviews
England international and Olympic squad member Ella Tripp has retired from international badminton - just a week before she was to have made her comeback following the birth of son Calum nearly nine months ago.
Ella, who had planned to play women's and mixed doubles in the Spanish Open next week, has made "the tough decision" to retire.
She will, however, continue to play county badminton for Cheshire as well as help husband Manny with his Badminton Coaching Academy.
Ella said today: "it was a tough decision but I've got my hands full looking after Calum.
"I've got some great memories to take with me into retirement."
Ella and her coach Sara Sankey won the English National women's doubles title in 1999 and 2000 and then, after Sara retired, Ella teamed up with Jo Nicholas to lift the title again in 2004.
She was in the team which won the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester and which took silver in Melbourne in 2006.
Ella, 30, also won a 2002 European doubles bronze medal with Sara and came so close to repeating that achievement with Jo in Geneva two years later when they let slip a game and 9-2 lead in the quarter-finals against a Danish pair.
"That was the low point of my career," she said. "But there were plenty of highs to outweigh it,like playing in the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games.
She made 38 appearances for England following her debut in the Uber Cup in 1998 and added: "I've played in lots of tournaments and I've been able to travel all round the world. It really hurt, deciding to stop but it will be nice knowing I no longer have to live out of a suitcase. I've been playing badminton at the highest level since my junior days (she started the game in Audlem, Cheshire at the age of 12).
"Now I'm just looking forward to being at home with Manny and Calum and enjoying family life.
"I would like more children but not for a couple of years. I've got my hands full with Calum.
"I will still play for Cheshire in the County Championships and I am looking forward to helping Manny coaching the young kids."
