Adcock fully focused

The doubles specialist suddenly found himself of press interest after bursting onto badminton's top stage with a run to the final of last year's World Championships in London.

A place at this summer's Games was then not only a possibility, but he and his mixed doubles partner Imogen Bankier had proved they could be medal contenders at London 2012.

It was in the build-up to the All England Open Championships in March that he felt the glare of the papers, with one erroneous report all but placing him at one corner of a love triangle.

The story suggested that Adcock had dumped his girlfriend - now fiancée - Gabby White as his playing partner in order to enhance his career by pairing up with Bankier.

The truth was far more mundane with a decision having been made by Badminton England coaches, part enforced by injuries, to try Adcock and White with new partners.

Adcock said: "We were concentrating on the tournament at the time but people who were aware of the whole situation knew it was completely and obviously untrue.

"The funny thing, when that press story came out, was that I was actually planning on getting down on one knee to propose to Gabby.

"Obviously we are now engaged so it kind of shows how that article was hardly reflective of the true situation.

"But it is part and parcel of the Olympics coming around, there was always going to be more media attention.

"We are all happy with where we are. I'm very happy with Gabby and very happy with how well Imogen and I are doing now."

Adcock, who was raised in Nottingham but is now based near the badminton headquarters in Milton Keynes, has not looked back since teaming up with Glaswegian Bankier full-time early last year.

The then unheralded duo's world silver, earned after beating four seeded pairs, gave them the momentum to secure Olympic places.

They head into the competition, which begins this Saturday, ranked 10th in the world and having seen off the challenge of three-time Olympian Nathan Robertson and Jenny Wallwork in a battle to represent Great Britain.

Adcock, 23, added: "Our qualification campaign was tough but we performed really well at key moments.

"We had good results, the highlight being the world silver medal at Wembley and that really kick-started our road to being where we are now.

"The preparation has gone really well and we feel raring to go."

Adcock and Bankier's brilliant World Championship run was ended by China's top seeds Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei, a result they will have chance to avenge at the same Wembley Arena venue next week.

The Anglo-Scottish pair have been drawn against the world number ones in the round-robin stage for the Olympic competition and will be encouraged by their recent record against them.

Adcock said: "We played very well at the same venue last year and we feel as though we have improved since then.

"We have beaten the pair we lost to in the final twice this year. They have beaten us once but it shows how far we have come forward.

"We believe with the home crowd behind us we can achieve something special."

Adcock and Bankier are Britain's only entrants in any of the doubles events while Rajiv Ouseph and Susan Egelstaff compete in the men's and women's singles respectively.