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Gillian Clark (badminton)

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Gillian Clark
Clark in 2017
Personal information
Birth nameGillian Margaret Clark
CountryEngland
Born (1961-09-02) 2 September 1961 (age 63)
Baghdad, Iraqi Republic[1]
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
HandednessRight
EventWomen's & Mixed doubles
Medal record
Women's badminton
Representing  England
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1983 Copenhagen Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1993 Birmingham Mixed doubles
World Cup
Silver medal – second place 1986 Jakarta Mixed doubles
Silver medal – second place 1987 Kuala Lumpur Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1983 Kuala Lumpur Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1984 Jakarta Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1991 Macau Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1992 Guangzhou Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1990 Jakarta Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1993 New Delhi Mixed doubles
Uber Cup
Silver medal – second place 1984 Kuala Lumpur Women's team
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 1982 Brisbane Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 1986 Edinburgh Women's doubles
Gold medal – first place 1986 Edinburgh Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 1990 Auckland Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 1994 Victoria Mixed doubles
Gold medal – first place 1994 Victoria Mixed team
Silver medal – second place 1982 Brisbane Women's doubles
Silver medal – second place 1990 Auckland Women's doubles
Silver medal – second place 1994 Victoria Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1982 Brisbane Women's singles
Bronze medal – third place 1986 Edinburgh Women's singles
Bronze medal – third place 1990 Auckland Mixed doubles
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1982 Böblingen Women's doubles
Gold medal – first place 1984 Preston Women's doubles
Gold medal – first place 1986 Uppsala Women's doubles
Gold medal – first place 1988 Kristiansand Mixed doubles
Silver medal – second place 1988 Kristiansand Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1984 Preston Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1990 Moscow Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Den Bosch Women's doubles
European Mixed Team Championships
Gold medal – first place 1982 Böblingen Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 1984 Preston Mixed team
Silver medal – second place 1986 Uppsala Mixed team
Bronze medal – third place 1988 Kristiansand Mixed team
Bronze medal – third place 1990 Moscow Mixed team
Bronze medal – third place 1992 Glasgow Mixed team
Bronze medal – third place 1994 Den Bosch Mixed team
European Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 1979 Mülheim Girls' doubles
Silver medal – second place 1979 Mülheim Mixed team
BWF profile

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

Career

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Clark was awarded Distinguished Service Award by the International Badminton Federation in 1995.[3]

World Championships

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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

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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

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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

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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.[4][5][6][7]

European Championships

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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).

Personal life

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Today Gillian Margaret Clark a.k.a. Gill Clark is known as the “voice of badminton” and she has been the lead commentator for the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for the past 25 years. Clark as a former world No. 1 and a six-time Commonwealth Games gold medal winner has experienced making the transition to a leading badminton commentator challenging in the beginning. Gillian overcame the challenges, gradually becoming a worldwide beloved figure in the commentary booth called "oma Gill" by many. Her signature catchphrase, “I don’t believe it,” has become synonymous with extraordinary moments on the badminton court.

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.[8]

Achievements

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World Championships

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Women's doubles

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

Mixed doubles

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

World Cup

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Women's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1983 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia England Gillian Gilks China Wu Jianqiu
China Xu Rong
5–15, 3–15 Bronze Bronze
1984 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia England Nora Perry China Wu Jianqiu
China Xu Rong
15–12, 9–15, 10–15 Bronze Bronze
1991 Macau Forum, Macau Denmark Nettie Nielsen South Korea Hwang Hye-young
South Korea Chung So-young
5–15, 16–18 Bronze Bronze
1992 Guangdong Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China Sweden Christine Magnusson China Lin Yanfen
China Yao Fen
Bronze Bronze

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1986 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Denmark Steen Fladberg Indonesia Eddy Hartono
Indonesia Verawaty Fadjrin
8–15, 15–17 Silver Silver
1987 Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Denmark Steen Fladberg China Wang Pengren
China Shi Fangjing
11–15, 15–1, 4–15 Silver Silver
1990 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Denmark Henrik Svarrer Indonesia Rudy Gunawan
Indonesia Rosiana Tendean
11–15, 9–15 Bronze Bronze
1993 Indira Gandhi Arena, New Delhi, India England Nick Ponting Sweden Peter Axelsson
England Gillian Gowers
12–15, 11–15 Bronze Bronze

Commonwealth Games

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Women's singles

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

Women's doubles

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

Mixed doubles

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

European Championships

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Women's doubles

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

Mixed doubles

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

European Junior Championships

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Girls' doubles

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

IBF World Grand Prix (26 titles, 25 runners-up)

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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 England Gillian Gilks England Nora Perry
England Jane Webster
15–6, 15–8 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1983 Dutch Open England Gillian Gilks England Sally Podger
England Karen Chapman
15–8, 17–16 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1984 German Open England Karen Chapman England Karen Beckman
England Gillian Gilks
14–17, 14–18 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1984 Malaysia Open Sweden Christine Magnusson China Wu Jianqiu
China Guan Weizhen
10–15, 13–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1985 Chinese Taipei Open England Nora Perry England Karen Beckman
England Gillian Gilks
10–15, 17–14, 15–0 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1985 Dutch Open England Gillian Gowers Netherlands Eline Coene
Netherlands Erica van Dijck
15–4, 15–2 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1985 Malaysia Open England Gillian Gowers Indonesia Verawaty Fadjrin
Indonesia Dwi Elmyati
15–10, 15–11 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1985 India Open England Gillian Gowers South Korea Hwang Sun-ae
South Korea Kang Haeng-suk
7–15, 12–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1985 English Masters England Gillian Gowers England Karen Beckman
England Sara Sankey
11–15, 5–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1986 Carlton-Intersport-Cup England Gillian Gowers Denmark Dorte Kjær
Denmark Nettie Nielsen
15–9, 15–11 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1986 Denmark Open England Gillian Gowers China Zheng Yuli
China Gu Jiaming
9–15, 18–15, 17–16 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1986 English Masters England Gillian Gowers Sweden Maria Bengtsson
Sweden Christine Magnusson
5–15, 11–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1987 Poona Open England Gillian Gowers Indonesia Sarwendah Kusumawardhani
Indonesia Erma Sulistianingsih
15–3, 15–5 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1987 German Open England Gillian Gowers China Lin Ying
China Guan Weizhen
6–15, 10–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1987 English Masters England Gillian Gowers Denmark Dorte Kjær
Denmark Nettie Nielsen
8–15, 12–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1987 Denmark Open England Gillian Gowers Japan Atsuko Tokuda
Japan Yoshiko Yonekura
7–15, 10–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1988 Japan Open England Gillian Gowers South Korea Chung Myung-hee
South Korea Chung So-young
2–15, 15–7, 6–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1988 German Open England Gillian Gowers China Lao Yujing
China Zheng Yuli
8–15, 15–3, 4–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1988 Dutch Open England Sara Sankey Denmark Dorte Kjær
Denmark Nettie Nielsen
9–15, 15–9, 15–6 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1988 English Masters England Gillian Gowers China Lin Ying
China Guan Weizhen
6–15, 8–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1988 Scottish Open England Sara Sankey Denmark Dorte Kjær
Denmark Gitte Paulsen
Walkover 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1989 Japan Open England Julie Munday South Korea Chung Myung-hee
South Korea Chung So-young
15–4, 10–15, 15–3 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1989 Poona Open England Sara Sankey Sweden Maria Bengtsson
Sweden Christine Magnusson
4–15, 15–13, 4–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1989 German Open England Gillian Gowers Indonesia Erma Sulistianingsih
Indonesia Rosiana Tendean
15–10, 2–15, 9–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1989 Dutch Open England Gillian Gowers Denmark Pernille Dupont
Denmark Grete Mogensen
11–15, 9–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1989 Scottish Open England Gillian Gowers England Karen Chapman
England Sara Sankey
15–10, 15–6 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1990 Chinese Taipei Open England Gillian Gowers South Korea Chun Sung-suk
South Korea Shim Eun-jung
15–3, 15–6 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1990 Finnish Open England Gillian Gowers Sweden Maria Bengtsson
Sweden Christine Magnusson
12–15, 12–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1990 All England Open England Gillian Gowers South Korea Chung Myung-hee
South Korea Hwang Hye-young
15–6, 4–15, 4–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1990 Singapore Open England Gillian Gowers Sweden Maria Bengtsson
Sweden Christine Magnusson
15–12, 15–13 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1990 Scottish Open England Gillian Gowers Sweden Catrine Bengtsson
Sweden Maria Bengtsson
16–18, 11–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1991 Japan Open England Gillian Gowers China Guan Weizhen
China Nong Qunhua
6–15, 18–15, 15–9 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1991 Finnish Open Denmark Nettie Nielsen China Pan Li
China Wu Yuhong
15–9, 14–17, 15–11 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1991 Malaysia Open Denmark Nettie Nielsen South Korea Hwang Hye-young
South Korea Chung So-young
10–15, 11–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1991 Swedish Open Denmark Nettie Nielsen Sweden Catrine Bengtsson
Sweden Maria Bengtsson
13–15, 15–9, 15–10 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1992 Indonesia Open England Gillian Gowers Indonesia Erma Sulistianingsih
Indonesia Rosiana Tendean
12–15, 9–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1992 Singapore Open England Gillian Gowers China Chen Ying
China Sheng Wenqing
16–18, 15–4, 15–8 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1992 World Grand Prix Finals England Gillian Gowers China Lin Yanfen
China Yao Fen
7–15, 16–17 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1993 Swiss Open England Joanne Wright Russia Marina Andrievskaya
Russia Marina Yakusheva
15–8, 15–7 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1984 Malaysia Open England Martin Dew England Nigel Tier
England Gillian Gowers
15–6, 15–5 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1985 All England Open Sweden Thomas Kihlström Scotland Billy Gilliland
England Nora Perry
10–15, 12–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1986 Indonesia Open Denmark Steen Fladberg England Steve Baddeley
England Gillian Gowers
15–4, 15–5 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1987 Chinese Taipei Open Denmark Steen Fladberg Scotland Billy Gilliland
England Gillian Gowers
15–7, 14–18, 15–5 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1987 Malaysia Open Denmark Steen Fladberg Scotland Billy Gilliland
England Gillian Gowers
15–7, 15–6 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1988 Poona Open Denmark Steen Fladberg Denmark Nils Skeby
Denmark Dorte Kjær
15–8, 15–6 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1988 German Open Denmark Steen Fladberg England Martin Dew
England Gillian Gilks
9–15, 18–14, 15–4 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1988 Thailand Open Denmark Steen Fladberg China Wang Pengren
China Shi Fangjing
17–14, 4–15, 15–9 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1991 Finnish Open Denmark Max Gandrup Denmark Henrik Svarrer
Sweden Maria Bengtsson
12–15, 9–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1993 Chinese Taipei Open England Nick Ponting Indonesia Denny Kantono
Indonesia Zelin Resiana
Walkover 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1993 World Grand Prix Finals England Nick Ponting Denmark Thomas Lund
Sweden Catrine Bengtsson
9–15, 7–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1994 All England Open England Chris Hunt England Nick Ponting
England Joanne Wright
10–15, 11–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up

IBF International

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Women's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
1981 French Open Soviet Union Svetlana Belyasova 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1979 Czechoslovakian International England Sally Leadbeater Denmark Charlotte Pilgaard
Denmark Kirsten Larsen
15–9, 15–5 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1980 Czechoslovakian International England Kathleen Redhead Denmark Dorte Kjær
Denmark Pia Nielsen
15–5, 15–5 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1982 Scottish Open England Gillian Gilks England Helen Troke
England Barbara Sutton
15–3, 15–8 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1982 Indonesia Open England Gillian Gilks Japan Atsuko Tokuda
Japan Yoshiko Yonekura
17–14, 14–17, 15–12 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1982 Canadian Open England Gillian Gilks Canada Claire Backhouse
Canada Johanne Falardeau
17–14, 15–6 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1983 English Masters England Gillian Gilks China Chen Ruizhen
China Zheng Jian
12–7 retired 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1984 Silver Bowl International Australia Maxine Evans Canada Claire Backhouse-Sharpe
Canada Linda Cloutier
15–9, 17–15 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1984 Auckland International Australia Maxine Evans Canada Claire Backhouse-Sharpe
Canada Linda Cloutier
15–9, 11–15, 2–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1984 English Masters England Nora Perry China Lin Ying
China Wu Dixi
5–15, 1–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1991 Wimbledon International England Julie Bradbury England Gillian Gowers
England Sara Sankey
5–15, 15–10, 15–5 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1991 Spanish International England Julie Bradbury Republic of Ireland Ciara Doheny
Germany Katrin Schmidt
12–15, 15–12, 15–7 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1979 Czechoslovakian International England Andy Goode Denmark Kenneth Larsen
Denmark Charlotte Pilgaard
9–15, 6–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1991 Spanish International England Andy Goode Spain David Serrano
Spain Eshter Sanz
15–7, 15–3 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner

References

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  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. ^ Ward, Roy (November 1995). "By their deeds you should know them" (PDF). World Badminton. p. 8. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  4. ^ "1982 Athletes". Team England.
  5. ^ "1986 Athletes". Team England.
  6. ^ "1990 Athletes". Team England.
  7. ^ "Athletes and results". Commonwealth Games Federation.
  8. ^ Spereall, David (10 February 2018). "Stalker's 17-year campaign of harassment against BBC star". Hull Live. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
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