"But I still have aspirations to make Team GB in the Rio [2016] Olympics.

"I believe that I have made excellent progress over the past 12 months thanks to the environment I have here in Scotland.

"I am working with the best possible coach and I have a fantastic support team through the sportscotland's Institute of Sport staff."

Kirsty Gilmour is the fourth highest ranked women's singles player from the Commonwealth nations and will be hoping to medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow ©Getty Images



Gilmour's decision is centred on the GB programme prioritising the World Championships over the Commonwealth Games, a Games in which the world number 23 is hoping to challenge for a medal.

The 20-year-old, who is the fourth highest ranked women's singles player in the Commonwealth, said that the demands of the programme and her desire to do well at Glasgow 2014 were becoming too difficult to juggle.

"It has become impossible for me to do both," she said.

"Every athlete dreams of competing at a Games on home soil.

"I didn't compete at London 2012 but I have a real opportunity to do well in Glasgow.

"It is unfortunate that the milestone target for British Badminton and its WCP in 2014 is the World Championships, which are held three weeks after the Commonwealth Games.

"The WCP tournament programme I would have to follow and the time I would have to spend in Milton Keynes between now and July are two of the factors that would hinder my Commonwealth Games preparation and my bid for success in Glasgow.

"I am grateful for the support I have received from UK Sport and the World Class system.

"It is not wasted as I am a much better player now thanks to the integrated support from British Badminton, BADMINTONscotland and sportscotland.

"I have every intention of using Glasgow as a personal opportunity to move my career forward on the world stage and after that I can look forward to helping Team GB in Rio."

Kirsty Gilmour has said she still has aspirations to compete for GB at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games ©Getty Images



Each year GB Badminton is set milestone targets by UK Sport with its funding dependant on meeting these targets.

Its milestone target for 2014 is to reach the quarter final stages of the World Championships forcing them to put more emphasis on this tournament over the likes of the Commonwealth Games.

With this in mind, BADMINTONscotland chief executive Anne Smillie has backed Gilmour's decision to withdraw from the programme in order to concentrate her efforts on medalling at the Games.

"Kirsty has found herself in an impossible situation but it was important for her to decide the best course for her in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games and then the World Championships three weeks later," she said.

"It is important that she can now focus on her women's singles and her women's doubles, starting with this week's Swedish Masters.

"We regard her as a genuine medal contender in both the singles and with Imogen Bankier in the women's doubles at Glasgow 2014.

"Once she has coped with the pressures that Glasgow 2014 will bring, she will be able to focus on the next stage of her career as Britain's top women's singles player."

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