Mark Richards (badminton)
| Personal information | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationality | British (Welsh) | |||||||||||
| Born | circa.1962[1] Cardiff, Wales | |||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||
| Sport | Badminton | |||||||||||
Medal record
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Mark Richards (born circa.1962) is a former international badminton player from Wales who competed at the Commonwealth Games and is former champion of Wales.
Biography
Richards, from Pontypridd,[2] was a Welsh international.[3] In 1980, he won the singles and doubles at the Cambridgeshire Open.[4] and one year later in 1981, was awarded a grant from the Welsh Sports Trust.[5]
Richards represented the Welsh team[6] at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia, where he competed in the badminton events.[7]
In 1986 he suffered a major career setback when he broke his leg in seven places playing football and it took until 1990 for him to regain the Welsh number one ranking. Living at Cardiff Road in Treforest at the time, he won the 1990 Cornish Open, becoming the first Welshman to win an English Open tournament since 1987.[8]
He earned 39 caps for his country[9] and was the 1992 singles champion of Wales at the Welsh National Badminton Championships.[10]
References
- ^ "Sutton wins, Wales lose". Gwent Gazette. 11 December 1980. p. 26. Retrieved 24 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Wales in Bid For No 7 Spot". South Wales Echo. 19 January 1983. p. 15. Retrieved 24 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "The Nelson touch will be missing". North Wales Weekly News. 4 November 1982. p. 43. Retrieved 24 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Treble chance goes bust". Cambridge Daily News. 23 October 1980. p. 27. Retrieved 24 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Grant aid for Mark". Pontypridd Observer. 8 May 1981. p. 25. Retrieved 25 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Indonesia trip for top badminton star". Gwent Gazette. 5 August 1982. p. 15. Retrieved 26 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Wales Brisbane 1982". Commonwealth Games Federation. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ "Mark vows to win title for his borough". South Wales Echo. 14 November 1990. p. 25. Retrieved 25 February 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Badminton Wales History". Welsh Badminton. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ^ "National Championships". Badminton People. Retrieved 26 February 2026.