Denmark rule the European roost with four badminton titles

Peter Gade secured his fifth men's singles championship as Denmark dominated the finals of the European badminton championships in Manchester on Sunday by winning four of the five titles.

Tine Rasmussen won her first and the mixed doubles and men's doubles also went to the Danes as they matched their four golds from the 2000 event in Glasgow.

Gade produced his best form of the tournament to defeat compatriot and team mate Jan Joergensen 21-14 21-11.

The only title that eluded Denmark was the women's doubles where victory went to second seeded Russians Valeria Sorokina and Nina Vislova.

World mixed doubles champions Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl got the Danes off to a winning start by beating Polish second seeds Robert Mateusiak and Nadiezda Kostiuczyk 21-19 18-21 21-12.

Rasmussen added the women's singles title to the second All England crown she won last month in Birmingham by beating Juliane Schenk of Germany 21-19 14-21 21-18.

Denmark's other gold came in the men's doubles where second seeds Lars Paaske and Jonas Rasmussen clinched the title.