Gillian Clark (badminton)

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

Gillian Clark
Clark in 2017
Personal information
Birth name	Gillian Margaret Clark
Country	England
Born	(1961-09-02) 2 September 1961 Baghdad, Iraqi Republic
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Handedness	Right
Event	Women's & Mixed doubles
Medal record Women's badminton Representing England World Championships 1983 Copenhagen Women's doubles 1993 Birmingham Mixed doubles World Cup 1986 Jakarta Mixed doubles 1987 Kuala Lumpur Mixed doubles 1983 Kuala Lumpur Women's doubles 1984 Jakarta Women's doubles 1991 Macau Women's doubles 1992 Guangzhou Women's doubles 1990 Jakarta Mixed doubles 1993 New Delhi Mixed doubles Uber Cup 1984 Kuala Lumpur Women's team Commonwealth Games 1982 Brisbane Mixed team 1986 Edinburgh Women's doubles 1986 Edinburgh Mixed team 1990 Auckland Mixed team 1994 Victoria Mixed doubles 1994 Victoria Mixed team 1982 Brisbane Women's doubles 1990 Auckland Women's doubles 1994 Victoria Women's doubles 1982 Brisbane Women's singles 1986 Edinburgh Women's singles 1990 Auckland Mixed doubles European Championships 1982 Böblingen Women's doubles 1984 Preston Women's doubles 1986 Uppsala Women's doubles 1988 Kristiansand Mixed doubles 1988 Kristiansand Women's doubles 1984 Preston Mixed doubles 1990 Moscow Women's doubles 1994 Den Bosch Women's doubles European Mixed Team Championships 1982 Böblingen Mixed team 1984 Preston Mixed team 1986 Uppsala Mixed team 1988 Kristiansand Mixed team 1990 Moscow Mixed team 1992 Glasgow Mixed team 1994 Den Bosch Mixed team European Junior Championships 1979 Mülheim Girls' doubles 1979 Mülheim Mixed team
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.

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).

Personal life

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.

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
1991	Macau Forum, Macau	Nettie Nielsen	Hwang Hye-young Chung So-young	5–15, 16–18	Bronze
1992	Guangdong Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China	Christine Magnusson	Lin Yanfen Yao Fen		Bronze

Mixed doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1986	Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia	Steen Fladberg	Eddy Hartono Verawaty Fadjrin	8–15, 15–17	Silver
1987	Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Steen Fladberg	Wang Pengren Shi Fangjing	11–15, 15–1, 4–15	Silver
1990	Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia	Henrik Svarrer	Rudy Gunawan Rosiana Tendean	11–15, 9–15	Bronze
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	Chandler Sports Hall, 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	Chandler Sports Hall, 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	McKinnon Gym, 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	McKinnon Gym, 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	Karen Beckman Gillian Gilks	15–17, 15–12, 15–2	Gold
1986	Uppsala, Sweden	Gillian Gowers	Dorte Kjær Nettie Nielsen	15–11, 15–12	Gold
1988	Badmintonsenteret, Kristiansand, Norway	Julie Munday	Dorte Kjær Nettie Nielsen	7–15, 4–15	Silver
1990	Minor Arena of the Central Lenin Stadium, 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	Badmintonsenteret, 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	Karen Beckman Gillian Gilks	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 Fadjrin 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	Dutch Open	Gillian Gowers	Pernille Dupont Grete Mogensen	11–15, 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
1984	Malaysia Open	Martin Dew	Nigel Tier Gillian Gowers	15–6, 15–5	Winner
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
1987	Malaysia Open	Steen Fladberg	Billy Gilliland Gillian Gowers	15–7, 15–6	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

External links

• Gillian Clark at BWFbadminton.com
• Gillian Clark at BWF.tournamentsoftware.com
• Gillian Clark at Olympedia
• Gillian Clark at Olympics.com
• Gillian Clark at Team GB
• Gillian Clark at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)