Rio Olympics 2016: Chris Langridge and Marcus Ellis win bronze with Britain’s first ever medal in men’s badminton doubles

BRILLIANT Brits Chris Langridge and Marcus Ellis produced the performance of their life to bag bronze – Team GB‘s first ever Olympic medal at the sport in men’s doubles.

The duo ranked 22nd in the world showed superb defence and lightning reflexes to stun China’s world No3 pair Chai Biao and Hong Wei two games to one in the third place play-off, , 21-18 19-21 21-10,

Chris Langridge and Marcus Ellis show the athleticism that took them to bronze

Ellis and Langridge edged a tight opener before their Chinese opponents held off the Team GB duo’s comeback to sneak the second game and level at 1-1.

But the Brits stepped up to an unstoppable level in the third and deciding game, taking it 21-10, with Langridge outstanding at the front of the court throughout a riveting match.

They had put up a powerful fight in losing to Chinese fourth seeds Fu Haifeng and Zhang Nan in Tuesday’s semi-final.

And their medal was the 52nd won so far by a buoyant Team GB in Rio.

Ellis and Langridge show the movement that troubled their fancied Chinese rivals