Gillian Clark (badminton)


Gillian Margaret Clark, is a former English badminton player who specialized in doubles and is currently a badminton television commentator.

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, three silver medals all in the doubles and three bronze medals in the singles and mixed doubles.

European Championships

She won four gold medals at the biennial European Championships; three consecutively in women's doubles and one in mixed doubles.

Achievements

World Championships

Women's doubles
YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1983Brøndbyhallen, Copenhagen, Denmark Gillian Gilks Lin Ying
Wu Dixi
3–15, 17–18 Bronze

Mixed doubles
YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1993National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England Nick Ponting Thomas Lund
Catrine Bengtsson
8–15, 15–18 Bronze

World Cup

Women's doubles
YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1983Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Gillian Gilks Wu Jianqiu
Xu Rong
5–15, 3–15 Bronze
1984Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Nora Perry Wu Jianqiu
Xu Rong
15–12, 9–15, 10–15 Bronze
1991Macau Forum, Macau Nettie Nielsen Hwang Hye-young
Chung So-young
Bronze

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

Commonwealth Games

Women's singles
YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
1982Edmonton, Brisbane, Australia Karen BeckmanWalkover Bronze
1986Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland Denyse Julien11–3, 11–3 Bronze

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

Mixed doubles
YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1990Auckland Badminton Hall,
Auckland, New Zealand
Andy Goode Steve Baddeley
Gillian Gowers
Walkover Bronze
1994Victoria, Canada Chris Hunt Simon Archer
Julie Bradbury
15–11, 15–4 Gold

European Championships

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

Mixed doubles
YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1984Guild Hall, Preston, England Nigel Tier Martin Dew
Gillian Gilks
11–15, 8–15 Bronze
1988Kristiansand, Norway Steen Fladberg Alex Meijer
Erica van Dijck
17–16, 4–15, 15–10 Gold

European Junior Championships

Girls' doubles
YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1979Mülheim 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 since 1983.
Women's doubles
YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult
1983Japan Open Gillian Gilks Nora Perry
Jane Webster
15–6, 15–8 Winner
1983Dutch Open Gillian Gilks Sally Podger
Karen Chapman
15–8, 17–16 Winner
1984German Open Karen Chapman Gillian Gilks
Karen Beckman
14–17, 14–18 Runner-up
1984Malaysia Open Christine Magnusson Wu Jianqiu
Guan Weizhen
10–15, 13–15 Runner-up
1985Chinese Taipei Open Nora Perry Karen Beckman
Gillian Gilks
10–15, 17–14, 15–0 Winner
1985Dutch Open Gillian Gowers Eline Coene
Erica van Dijck
15–4, 15–2 Winner
1985Malaysia Open Gillian Gowers Verawaty Fajrin
Dwi Elmyati
15–10, 15–11 Winner
1985India Open Gillian Gowers Hwang Sun-ae
Kang Haeng-suk
7–15, 12–15 Runner-up
1985English Masters Gillian Gowers Karen Beckman
Sara Sankey
11–15, 5–15 Runner-up
1986Carlton-Intersport-Cup Gillian Gowers Dorte Kjær
Nettie Nielsen
15–9, 15–11 Winner
1986Denmark Open Gillian Gowers Zheng Yuli
Gu Jiaming
9–15, 18–15, 17–16 Winner
1986English Masters Gillian Gowers Maria Bengtsson
Christine Magnusson
5–15, 11–15 Runner-up
1986Scottish Open Gillian Gowers Maria Bengtsson
Christine Magnusson
8–15, 11–15 Runner-up
1987Poona Open Gillian Gowers Sarwendah Kusumawardhani
Erma Sulistianingsih
15–3, 15–5 Winner
1987German Open Gillian Gowers Lin Ying
Guan Weizhen
6–15, 10–15 Runner-up
1987English Masters Gillian Gowers Dorte Kjær
Nettie Nielsen
8–15, 12–15 Runner-up
1987Denmark Open Gillian Gowers Atsuko Tokuda
Yoshiko Yonekura
7–15, 10–15 Runner-up
1988Japan Open Gillian Gowers Chung Myung-hee
Chung So-young
2–15, 15–7, 6–15 Runner-up
1988German Open Gillian Gowers Lao Yujing
Zheng Yuli
8–15, 15–3, 4–15 Runner-up
1988Dutch Open Sara Sankey Dorte Kjær
Nettie Nielsen
9–15, 15–9, 15–6 Winner
1988English Masters Gillian Gowers Lin Ying
Guan Weizhen
6–15, 8–15 Runner-up
1988Scottish Open Sara Sankey Dorte Kjær
Gitte Paulsen
Walkover Winner
1989Japan Open Julie Munday Chung Myung-hee
Chung So-young
15–4, 10–15, 15–3 Winner
1989Poona Open Sara Sankey Maria Bengtsson
Christine Magnusson
4–15, 15–13, 4–15 Runner-up
1989German Open Gillian Gowers Erma Sulistianingsih
Rosiana Tendean
15–10, 2–15, 9–15 Runner-up
1989Scottish Open Gillian Gowers Karen Chapman
Sara Sankey
15–10, 15–6 Winner
1990Chinese Taipei Open Gillian Gowers Chun Sung-suk
Shim Eun-jung
15–3, 15–6 Winner
1990Finnish Open Gillian Gowers Maria Bengtsson
Christine Magnusson
12–15, 12–15 Runner-up
1990All England Open Gillian Gowers Chung Myung-hee
Hwang Hye-young
15–6, 4–15, 4–15 Runner-up
1990Singapore Open Gillian Gowers Maria Bengtsson
Christine Magnusson
15–12, 15–13 Winner
1990Scottish Open Gillian Gowers Catrine Bengtsson
Maria Bengtsson
16–18, 11–15 Runner-up
1991Japan Open Gillian Gowers Guan Weizhen
Nong Qunhua
6–15, 18–15, 15–9 Winner
1991Finnish Open Nettie Nielsen Pan Li
Wu Yuhong
15–9, 14–17, 15–11 Winner
1991Malaysia Open Nettie Nielsen Hwang Hye-young
Chung So-young
10–15, 11–15 Runner-up
1991Swedish Open Nettie Nielsen Catrine Bengtsson
Maria Bengtsson
13–15, 15–9, 15–10 Winner
1992Indonesia Open Gillian Gowers Erma Sulistianingsih
Rosiana Tendean
12–15, 9–15 Runner-up
1992Singapore Open Gillian Gowers Chen Ying
Sheng Wenqing
16–18, 15–4, 15–8 Winner
1992World Grand Prix Finals Gillian Gowers Lin Yanfen
Yao Fen
7–15, 16–17 Runner-up
1993Swiss Open Joanne Wright Marina Andrievskaya
Marina Yakusheva
15–8, 15–7 Winner

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

IBF International

Women's singles
YearTournamentOpponentScoreResult
1981French Open Svetlana Belyasova Runner-up

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

Mixed doubles
YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult
1979Czechoslovakian International Andy Goode Kenneth Larsen
Charlotte Pilgaard
9–15, 6–15 Runner-up
1991Spanish International Andy Goode David Serrano
Eshter Sanz
15–7, 15–3 Winner

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.