Bankier, whose home is in Glasgow's west end, was named yesterday with England's Chris Adcock for the mixed doubles. She is from a sporting family accustomed to success. Her father, Ian, is chairman of Celtic.
The doubles pair have succeeded against the odds. After just 19 months together, they ousted Britain's most-formidable player, former World, European, and Commonwealth champion and Olympic silver medallist Nathan Robertson. Heading Robertson and partner Jenny Wallwork in the world rankings (with a career-highest placing of 10th) they have played 19 gruelling tournaments. "It's been a tough campaign, and wasn't resolved until the very end, but it's all worth it now," said Bankier yesterday.
She was six months into a law degree at Glasgow University when she quit to train at the GB performance centre in Milton Keynes 5½ years ago. She has been full-time since, but was not an instant prodigy.
"I played with the family in our garden aged eight, then at our church. I worked my way through the Scottish system, but I was significantly smaller than everyone my age, and was 18 or 19 before I was much good. I didn't have the natural advantage of being strong or tall, and didn't win anything as a junior, but I'm 5ft 7ins now."
GB performance coaches paired Bankier and Adcock after the 2010 Commonwealth Games. "We gelled from the start, but it was a relatively short time to make it to the Olympics, and Nathan and Jenny were established in the world top 10."
Also left in her wake, by an ironic twist, was fellow-Scot Robert Blair. He had quit Scotland and adopted English nationality because he could see no Scottish partner to further his doubles career. Bankier was 12 at the time but they played together before Beijing. "We got into the top 10 but never converted that to medals. The partnership got a chance, but didn't work." The Olympic place went to Robertson and Gail Emms, World and Commonwealth champions.
"But I look forward to the 2014 Commonwealths in Glasgow. I'd love the chance not only to play a home Olympics, but a Commonwealths in my home city. I'm trying to focus on my partnership with Chris, but won't be able to play with him in Glasgow. Robert Blair is back representing Scotland, so that would be an option if he's still playing. He's still a quality player, but Scotland has some good younger men coming through in mixed doubles.
"After 2014, it's only two years to Rio. So that's a definite target. I'll be 28 and Chris will be 27. I'd be very lucky and honoured to take part in another Olympics."
She describes herself as a "closet Manchester United fan, and with my dad's involvement with Celtic, I've been along there a few times. I don't see a huge amount of Scottish football, being in England so long. I am a little Celtic fan, I'd say."
Now 25, she is studying for an Open University degree in social science and politics. Social life? She laughs. "No, I am a real saddo. Nineteen tournaments in a year – I've been a hermit crab."
She and Wallwork have been rivals since they were 12, but acrimony has escalated with the rising stakes.
"It's been an incredibly stressful process," says the Scot. "It's your job – more than your job. It's your whole life. We have a close rivalry with the other pair. We beat them. They beat us, then we were in the driving seat. I wouldn't say things were massively friendly."
It all erupted in an exchage of bitchy tweets, alien to the sport's douce image.
Bankier lit the fuse, tweeting: "Just watched the English Nationals . . . why can English people not serve . . .?!"
When taken to task by Wallwork's doubles partner Gabby White – fiance of her own playing partner Adcock – she said it was "light-hearted banter". Then Wallwork tweeted about Bankier's fitness: "So the one with the 'lighthearted banter' is injured AGAIN! I'd go for the ropey serve any day".
Wallwork then described Bankier as "usually crippled" and suggested she "jog on back to Scotland".
Bankier was penitent yesterday. "In hindsight I wouldn't have done it. I regret it. Ours is a long-standing rivalry. Hopefully, I will stand beside her in a team in future."
Self-deprecatorily, Bankier admits it's one of several faults. "My biggest? I have a few. I am very competitive to the point that I won't let things go. That's a fault, but good in badminton. I have a bad temper, and I open my mouth without engaging my brain. Apart from that, I'm perfect."
The perfect end would be a medal, which she won't rule out. "In the test event [world championships] we got silver, and beat three or four of the top eight pairs in world. And the pair we lost to in that world final, we have played twice since, and beaten them twice. So I think we do have a chance if we perform as we can.
"London and the Olympics will be the perfect environment to bring the best out of us. We play particularly well with home support. That's a positive thing – not pressure. We aren't seeded, so there's no massive expectation, but I think we have a good opportunity to get a medal."
