Gillian Clark (badminton)

Gillian Margaret Clark, MBE (born 2 September 1961) is a former English badminton player who specialized in doubles and is currently a badminton television commentator.[2]

Gillian Clark
Gillian Clark at Australia Open Super Series 2017
Personal information
Birth nameGillian Margaret Clark
CountryEngland
Born (1961-09-02) 2 September 1961
Baghdad, Iraq[1]
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
HandednessRight
EventWomen's & Mixed doubles
BWF profile

Badminton Career

World Championships

Clark won two bronze medals at the World Championships a decade apart; for women's doubles in 1983, and for mixed doubles in 1993.

Olympic Games

Clark competed in badminton at the 1992 Summer Olympics in women's doubles with Julie Bradbury. In the first round they defeated Erma Sulistianingsih and Rosiana Tendean of Indonesia and in the second round Katrin Schmidt and Kerstin Ubben of Germany. In the quarterfinals they were beaten by the eventual gold medalists, Hwang Hye-young and Chung So-young of Korea, 5–15, 5–15.

All England Championship

She reached the finals of the prestigious All England Open Championships; in the 1985 mixed doubles with Thomas Kihlström, the 1990 doubles with Gillian Gowers and 1994 the mixed with Chris Hunt.

Commonwealth Games

Clark has won twelve Commonwealth Games medals spanning four Games from 1982 until 1994. The medal breakdown was six gold medals (one with Gillian Gowers in the doubles, one with Chris Hunt in the mixed doubles and four in the team event), three silver medals all in the doubles and three bronze medals in the singles and mixed doubles.[3][4][5][6]

European Championships

She won four gold medals at the biennial European Championships; three consecutively (1982, 1984, and 1986) in women's doubles and one in mixed doubles (1988).

Achievements

World Championships

Women's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1983 Brøndbyhallen, Copenhagen, Denmark Gillian Gilks Lin Ying
Wu Dixi
3–15, 17–18 Bronze

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1993 National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England Nick Ponting Thomas Lund
Catrine Bengtsson
8–15, 15–18 Bronze

World Cup

Women's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1983 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Gillian Gilks Wu Jianqiu
Xu Rong
5–15, 3–15 Bronze
1984 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Nora Perry Wu Jianqiu
Xu Rong
15–12, 9–15, 10–15 Bronze

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1986 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Steen Fladberg Eddy Hartono
Verawaty Fajrin
8–15, 15–17 Silver
1987 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Steen Fladberg Wang Pengren
Shi Fangjing
11–15, 15–1, 4–15 Silver
1993 Indira Gandhi Arena, New Delhi, India Nick Ponting Peter Axelsson
Gillian Gowers
12–15, 11–15 Bronze

Commonwealth Games

Women's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1982 Edmonton, Brisbane, Australia Karen Beckman Walkover Bronze
1986 Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland Denyse Julien 11–3, 11–3 Bronze

Women's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1982 Edmonton,
Brisbane, Australia
Karen Beckman Claire Backhouse
Johanne Falardeau
15–13, 16–18, 4–15 Silver
1986 Meadowbank Sports Centre,
Edinburgh, Scotland
Gillian Gowers Denyse Julien
Johanne Falardeau
15–6, 15–7 Gold
1990 Auckland Badminton Hall,
Auckland, New Zealand
Gillian Gowers Fiona Smith
Sara Sankey
14–18, 15–2, 9–15 Silver
1994 Victoria, Canada Julie Bradbury Joanne Muggeridge
Joanne Wright
9–15, 11–15 Silver

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1990 Auckland Badminton Hall,
Auckland, New Zealand
Andy Goode Steve Baddeley
Gillian Gowers
Walkover Bronze
1994 Victoria, Canada Chris Hunt Simon Archer
Julie Bradbury
15–11, 15–4 Gold

European Championships

Women's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1982 Böblingen, West Germany Gillian Gilks Nora Perry
Jane Webster
15–3, 15–11 Gold
1984 Guild Hall, Preston, England Karen Chapman Gillian Gilks
Karen Beckman
15–17, 15–12, 15–2 Gold
1986 Uppsala, Sweden Gillian Gowers Dorte Kjær
Nettie Nielsen
15–11, 15–12 Gold
1988 Kristiansand, Norway Julie Munday Dorte Kjær
Nettie Nielsen
7–15, 4–15 Silver
1990 Moscow, Soviet Union Gillian Gowers Eline Coene
Erica van Dijck
10–15, 15–11, 15–17 Bronze
1994 Maaspoort Sports and Events,
Den Bosch, Netherlands
Julie Bradbury Lim Xiaoqing
Christine Magnusson
11–15, 15–12, 14–16 Bronze

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1984 Guild Hall, Preston, England Nigel Tier Martin Dew
Gillian Gilks
11–15, 8–15 Bronze
1988 Kristiansand, Norway Steen Fladberg Alex Meijer
Erica van Dijck
17–16, 4–15, 15–10 Gold

European Junior Championships

Girls' doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1979 Mülheim an der Ruhr, West Germany Sally Leadbeater Charlotte Pilgaard
Bettina Kristensen
15–12, 15–9 Gold

IBF World Grand Prix

The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) since 1983.

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1983 Japan Open Gillian Gilks Nora Perry
Jane Webster
15–6, 15–8 Winner
1983 Dutch Open Gillian Gilks Sally Podger
Karen Chapman
15–8, 17–16 Winner
1984 German Open Karen Chapman Gillian Gilks
Karen Beckman
14–17, 14–18 Runner-up
1984 Malaysia Open Christine Magnusson Wu Jianqiu
Guan Weizhen
10–15, 13–15 Runner-up
1985 Chinese Taipei Open Nora Perry Karen Beckman
Gillian Gilks
10–15, 17–14, 15–0 Winner
1985 Dutch Open Gillian Gowers Eline Coene
Erica van Dijck
15–4, 15–2 Winner
1985 Malaysia Open Gillian Gowers Verawaty Fajrin
Dwi Elmyati
15–10, 15–11 Winner
1985 India Open Gillian Gowers Hwang Sun-ae
Kang Haeng-suk
7–15, 12–15 Runner-up
1985 English Masters Gillian Gowers Karen Beckman
Sara Sankey
11–15, 5–15 Runner-up
1986 Carlton-Intersport-Cup Gillian Gowers Dorte Kjær
Nettie Nielsen
15–9, 15–11 Winner
1986 Denmark Open Gillian Gowers Zheng Yuli
Gu Jiaming
9–15, 18–15, 17–16 Winner
1986 English Masters Gillian Gowers Maria Bengtsson
Christine Magnusson
5–15, 11–15 Runner-up
1986 Scottish Open Gillian Gowers Maria Bengtsson
Christine Magnusson
8–15, 11–15 Runner-up
1987 Poona Open Gillian Gowers Sarwendah Kusumawardhani
Erma Sulistianingsih
15–3, 15–5 Winner
1987 German Open Gillian Gowers Lin Ying
Guan Weizhen
6–15, 10–15 Runner-up
1987 English Masters Gillian Gowers Dorte Kjær
Nettie Nielsen
8–15, 12–15 Runner-up
1987 Denmark Open Gillian Gowers Atsuko Tokuda
Yoshiko Yonekura
7–15, 10–15 Runner-up
1988 Japan Open Gillian Gowers Chung Myung-hee
Chung So-young
2–15, 15–7, 6–15 Runner-up
1988 German Open Gillian Gowers Lao Yujing
Zheng Yuli
8–15, 15–3, 4–15 Runner-up
1988 Dutch Open Sara Sankey Dorte Kjær
Nettie Nielsen
9–15, 15–9, 15–6 Winner
1988 English Masters Gillian Gowers Lin Ying
Guan Weizhen
6–15, 8–15 Runner-up
1988 Scottish Open Sara Sankey Dorte Kjær
Gitte Paulsen
Walkover Winner
1989 Japan Open Julie Munday Chung Myung-hee
Chung So-young
15–4, 10–15, 15–3 Winner
1989 Poona Open Sara Sankey Maria Bengtsson
Christine Magnusson
4–15, 15–13, 4–15 Runner-up
1989 German Open Gillian Gowers Erma Sulistianingsih
Rosiana Tendean
15–10, 2–15, 9–15 Runner-up
1989 Scottish Open Gillian Gowers Karen Chapman
Sara Sankey
15–10, 15–6 Winner
1990 Chinese Taipei Open Gillian Gowers Chun Sung-suk
Shim Eun-jung
15–3, 15–6 Winner
1990 Finnish Open Gillian Gowers Maria Bengtsson
Christine Magnusson
12–15, 12–15 Runner-up
1990 All England Open Gillian Gowers Chung Myung-hee
Hwang Hye-young
15–6, 4–15, 4–15 Runner-up
1990 Singapore Open Gillian Gowers Maria Bengtsson
Christine Magnusson
15–12, 15–13 Winner
1990 Scottish Open Gillian Gowers Catrine Bengtsson
Maria Bengtsson
16–18, 11–15 Runner-up
1991 Japan Open Gillian Gowers Guan Weizhen
Nong Qunhua
6–15, 18–15, 15–9 Winner
1991 Finnish Open Nettie Nielsen Pan Li
Wu Yuhong
15–9, 14–17, 15–11 Winner
1991 Malaysia Open Nettie Nielsen Hwang Hye-young
Chung So-young
10–15, 11–15 Runner-up
1991 Swedish Open Nettie Nielsen Catrine Bengtsson
Maria Bengtsson
13–15, 15–9, 15–10 Winner
1992 Indonesia Open Gillian Gowers Erma Sulistianingsih
Rosiana Tendean
12–15, 9–15 Runner-up
1992 Singapore Open Gillian Gowers Chen Ying
Sheng Wenqing
16–18, 15–4, 15–8 Winner
1992 World Grand Prix Finals Gillian Gowers Lin Yanfen
Yao Fen
7–15, 16–17 Runner-up
1993 Swiss Open Joanne Wright Marina Andrievskaya
Marina Yakusheva
15–8, 15–7 Winner

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1985 All England Open Thomas Kihlström Billy Gilliland
Nora Perry
10–15, 12–15 Runner-up
1986 Indonesia Open Steen Fladberg Steve Baddeley
Gillian Gowers
15–4, 15–5 Winner
1987 Chinese Taipei Open Steen Fladberg Billy Gilliland
Gillian Gowers
15–7, 14–18, 15–5 Winner
1988 Poona Open Steen Fladberg Nils Skeby
Dorte Kjær
15–8, 15–6 Winner
1988 German Open Steen Fladberg Martin Dew
Gillian Gilks
9–15, 18–14, 15–4 Winner
1988 Thailand Open Steen Fladberg Wang Pengren
Shi Fangjing
17–14, 4–15, 15–9 Winner
1991 Finnish Open Max Gandrup Henrik Svarrer
Maria Bengtsson
12–15, 9–15 Runner-up
1993 Chinese Taipei Open Nick Ponting Denny Kantono
Zelin Resiana
Walkover Runner-up
1993 World Grand Prix Finals Nick Ponting Thomas Lund
Catrine Bengtsson
9–15, 7–15 Runner-up
1994 All England Open Chris Hunt Nick Ponting
Joanne Wright
10–15, 11–15 Runner-up

IBF International

Women's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
1981 French Open Svetlana Belyasova Runner-up

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1979 Czechoslovakian International Sally Leadbeater Charlotte Pilgaard
Kirsten Larsen
15–9, 15–5 Winner
1980 Czechoslovakian International Kathleen Redhead Dorte Kjær
Pia Nielsen
15–5, 15–5 Winner
1982 Scottish Open Gillian Gilks Helen Troke
Barbara Sutton
15–3, 15–8 Winner
1982 Indonesia Open Gillian Gilks Atsuko Tokuda
Yoshiko Yonekura
17–14, 14–17, 15–12 Winner
1982 Canadian Open Gillian Gilks Claire Backhouse
Johanne Falardeau
17–14, 15–6 Winner
1983 English Masters Gillian Gilks Chen Ruizhen
Zheng Jian
12–7 retired Runner-up
1984 English Masters Nora Perry Lin Ying
Wu Dixi
5–15, 1–15 Runner-up
1991 Wimbledon International Julie Bradbury Gillian Gowers
Sara Sankey
5–15, 15–10, 15–5 Winner
1991 Spanish International Julie Bradbury Ciara Doheny
Katrin Schmidt
12–15, 15–12, 15–7 Winner

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1979 Czechoslovakian International Andy Goode Kenneth Larsen
Charlotte Pilgaard
9–15, 6–15 Runner-up
1991 Spanish International Andy Goode David Serrano
Eshter Sanz
15–7, 15–3 Winner

English National Championships

Women's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1987 Crawley, West Sussex Fiona Smith 8–11, 3–11 Runner-up

Women's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1985 Coventry Sports Centre, Coventry Gillian Gowers Gillian Gilks
Paula Kilvington
15–6, 10–15, 18–15 Winner
1987 Crawley, West Sussex Gillian Gowers Karen Beckman
Sara Sankey
15–9, 15–9 Winner
1988 Crawley, West Sussex Gillian Gowers Fiona Smith
Sara Sankey
15–8, 15–11 Winner
1989 Crawley, West Sussex Sara Sankey Fiona Smith
Julie Munday
15–12, 18–13 Winner
1990 Crawley, West Sussex Gillian Gowers Karen Chapman
Sara Sankey
9–15, 17–15, 15–7 Winner
1992 Torbay, Devon Julie Bradbury Gillian Gowers
Sara Sankey
15–9, 15–11 Winner
1994 Norwich, Norfolk Julie Bradbury Gillian Gowers
Joanne Wright
7–15 retired Runner-up

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result

Personal life

Clark was harassed by a stalker for more than 10 years since 2001. The perpetrator was diagnosed with persistent delusional personality disorder and jailed for 2 years.[7]

References

  1. "Gillian Clark Biography and Statistics". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 20 August 2009. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  2. Tiwari, Rakesh. "Gillian Clark - The Voice of Badminton". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  3. "1982 Athletes". Team England.
  4. "1986 Athletes". Team England.
  5. "1990 Athletes". Team England.
  6. "Athletes and results". Commonwealth Games Federation.
  7. Spereall, David. "Stalker's 17-year campaign of harassment against BBC star". Hull Live. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
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