BADMINTON'S National Championships get under way today with Simon Archer eyeing more glory.

The Worcester ace, who will be competing in the men's and mixed doubles events, is looking to win his 14th national championship crown after taking eight men's doubles titles and five mixed doubles successes in the past.

Archer, who has shot up the rankings following recent victories in Portugal, Slovenia, Iceland, Scotland and Ireland, is confident of success at the Manchester Velodrome.

He is partnered by Robert Blair in the men's event, while he continues his in-form partnership with Donna Kellogg as they count down to the Olympic Games.

The duos are still sweating on their rankings as they try to qualify for the Olympics, an event in which Archer famously won bronze with Jo Goode in the Sydney games four years ago.

Success in the National Championships will not count towards those rankings but Archer is still desperate for success.

"It's an important event and one in which I have a proud record in," he said. "The partnerships with Donna and Rob are going well at the moment and we're confident as we go into the tournament."

The mixed doubles offers perhaps Archer's best prospect with defending champions Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms kept apart from Archer and Kellogg until the final.