The pair gave a badminton demonstration and talked to LOCOG staff about their experiences of the sport and previous Games. I also caught up with Nathan about his hopes and ambitions for London 2012, where he will be competing with a new partner following Gail's retirement after Beijing.
Are you looking forward to competing in 2012?
I can’t wait – London 2012 is the main reason I’m still competing. That, and I still want to win Olympic gold. I want to go out on a high. It was great to win silver in Athens, but at the end of the day we still lost the final – and that’s always in the back of your mind.
What do you think will be distinctive about the 2012 Games?
I think it will be amazing to play in front of a home crowd, and there will be a very special atmosphere. London is an amazing city, and I think the Games will reflect that.
What do you think about Wembley Arena as the venue for Badminton?
Wembley is a great venue. The All England Championships used to be held there, so it has a strong badminton history – which will make it even more special playing there.
What would you say to encourage young people to take up badminton?
It's a fantastic sport to play socially with your friends, and it's cheap because you really don't need that much equipment. It's also great for full-body fitness. We do a lot of cardio and weights training on top of normal practice, to make sure we're in peak condition for matches.
How do you think hosting the Games will impact on the sport?
It's badminton's chance to shine. We hope that when people see elite athletes play a fast-moving, exciting game it will motivate them to take up badminton and will increase participation. Beijing 2008 was such a success for badminton, and we're ready to continue or even improve on that in 2012. We want to get more kids playing sport – and badminton is a really easy one to pick up.
Who or what inspires you to achieve your best?
My main motivation is that I enjoy playing... and of course there's always room for improvement, no matter which level you're playing at. You never forget the feeling of losing a game, and you never want to go through that again. Andy, our new Head Coach, is also a great mentor and motivator.
Since winning your Olympic medal, what is the most fun or interesting it has given you the opportunity to do?
Gail and I sat in the Royal Box at Wimbledon once which was amazing. And I did a naked Cosmopolitan photo shoot for charity! That was fun!
