Margaret Beck Explained

Margaret Beck
Country:England
Birth Date:9 January 1952
Birth Place:Whitehaven, Cumbria, England
Death Place:Whitehaven, Cumbria, England

Margaret Beck (later Margaret Lockwood; 9 January 1952 – 21 May 2023) was a badminton player from England who ranked among the world's best during most of the 1970s.[1]

Playing career

An exceptional junior talent, she represented England and won women's singles gold medal at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, while still in her teens.[2] [3] [4]

In 1973, Beck won the women's singles at the All-England Championships, which, aside from the international team championships (Uber Cup and Thomas Cup), was then the world's most prestigious tournament.[2]

She shared the All-England women's doubles title with Gillian Gilks in 1974.[2] She won singles at the World Invitation Tournament, a forerunner of the BWF World Championships, that was held in Jakarta, Indonesia in 1974.[5] In 1974 she represented England and won a gold and silver medals in the doubles and singles, at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand.[6]

After marrying in 1975 she competed under her married name of Margaret Lockwood and reached the singles and doubles final at the 1976 All England Open Badminton Championships.

Her other international singles titles included the European Badminton Championships (1972), and the Canadian (1975), Irish (1971), Portuguese (1973), Scottish (1972, 1974), and South African (1976) Opens. She also won five English National singles titles (against opposition that included Gillian Gilks), and a dozen or more international doubles titles.

Noted for her rigorous fitness regimen, she developed a problem with her knee which was seriously aggravated during the first World Badminton Championships in 1977. The singles and doubles bronze medals that she earned there would be her last. Despite surgeries and attempted rehabilitation she never played serious competitive badminton again.[2]

Achievements

World Championships

Women's singles! Year! Venue! Opponent! Score! Result
1977Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden Lene Køppen6–11, 1–11 Bronze
Women's doubles! Year! Venue! Partner! Opponent! Score! Result
1977Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden Nora Perry Marjan Ridder
Joke van Beusekom
15–4, 6–15, 8–15 Bronze

Commonwealth Games

Women's singles! Year! Venue! Opponent! Score! Result
1970Edinburgh, Scotland Gillian Perrin5–11, 11–3, 11–8 Gold
1974Cowles Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand Gillian Gilks8–11, 8–11 Silver
Women's doubles! Year! Venue! Partner! Opponent! Score! Result
1974Cowles Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand Gillian Perrin Margaret Boxall
Susan Whetnall
15–7, 15–5 Gold

European Championships

Women's singles! Year! Venue! Opponent! Score! Result
1972Karlskrona, Sweden Gillian Gilks11–0, 11–1 Gold
1974Vienna, Austria Lene Køppen6–11, 12–10, 7–11 Bronze
1976Dublin, Ireland Lene Køppen5–11, 5–11 Bronze
Women's doubles! Year! Venue! Partner! Opponent! Score! Result
1970Port Talbot, Wales Gillian Perrin Irmgard Latz
Marieluise Wackerow
13–15, 15–9, 3–15 Bronze
1972Karlskrona, Sweden Julie Rickard Gillian Gilks
Judy Hashman
11–15, 7–15 Silver
1974Vienna, Austria Gillian Gilks Nora Gardner
Susan Whetnall
15–10, 15–13 Gold
1976Dublin, Ireland Nora Gardner Gillian Gilks
Susan Whetnall
4–15, 8–15 Silver

European Junior Championships

Girls' singles! Year! Venue! Opponent! Score! Result
1969Leidschendam-Voorburg, Netherlands Anne Berglund11–6, 6–11, 11–12 Silver
Girls' doubles! Year! Venue! Partner! Opponent! Score! Result
1969Leidschendam-Voorburg, Netherlands Carol Whightman Marjan Luesken
Joke van Beusekom
5–15, 9–15 Silver
Mixed doubles! Year! Venue! Partner! Opponent! Score! Result
1969Leidschendam-Voorburg, Netherlands Ray Stevens Girt Perneklo
Karin Lindquist
Bronze

International tournaments

Women's singles! Year! Tournament! Opponent! Score! Result
1970Wimbledon Open Tyna Barinaga11–8, 11–1 Winner
1971Irish Open Winner
1971Swedish Open Eva Twedberg Runner-up
1971Scottish Open Gillian Gilks9–11, 5–11 Runner-up
1972Scottish Open Gillian Gilks Winner
1973All England Open Gillian Gilks11–8, 11–0 Winner
1973Jamaica International Eva Twedberg Winner
1973Portugal International Winner
1974German Open Joke van Beusekom11–1, 11–4 Winner
1974Scottish Open Gillian Gilks Winner
1975Canadian Open Joke van Beusekom11–4, 11–3 Winner
1975Dutch Open Gillian Gilks7–11, 3–11 Runner-up
1976All England Open Gillian Gilks0–11, 3–11 Runner-up
1976Canadian Open Wendy Clarkson11–2, 5–11, 10–12 Runner-up
1976Scottish Open Gillian Gilks Runner-up
1977German Open Brigitte Steden Winner
Women's doubles! Year! Tournament! Partner! Opponent! Score! Result
1970Wimbledon Open Julie Rickard Tyna Barinaga
Nora Gardner
6–15, 7–15 Runner-up
1971Irish Open Julie Rickard Winner
1971Scottish Open Gillian Gilks Barbara Beckett
Kay Nesbit
15–6, 15–7 Winner
1972Swedish Open Gillian Gilks Anne Flindt
Pernille Kaagaard
15–8, 15–8 Winner
1972All England Open Julie Rickard Machako Aizawa
Etsuko Takenaka
15–9, 8–15, 12–15 Runner-up
1972Scottish Open Helen Horton Bridget Cooper
Gillian Gilks
Runner-up
1973Swedish Open Gillian Gilks Marjan Luesken
Joke van Beusekom
15–8, 15–8 Winner
1973All England Open Gillian Gilks Machako Aizawa
Etsuko Takenaka
10–15, 15–10, 11–15 Runner-up
1973Canadian Open Joke van Beusekom Mimi Nilsson
Judi Rollick
Winner
1973Jamaica International Bridget Cooper Jennifer Dakin
Barb O'Brien
Winner
1974All England Open Gillian Gilks Margaret Boxall
Susan Whetnall
15–5, 18–14 Winner
1974German Open Gillian Gilks Brigitte Steden
Marieluise Zizmann
15–12, 12–15, 15–6 Winner
1974Scottish Open Gillian Gilks Margaret Boxall
Susan Whetnall
Runner-up
1975Canadian Open Joke van Beusekom Barbara Welch
Jane Youngberg
12–15, 15–11, 15–4 Winner
1975Dutch Open Gillian Gilks Nora Gardner
Susan Whetnall
12–15, 17–14, 7–15 Runner-up
1976All England Open Nora Gardner Gillian Gilks
Susan Whetnall
10–15, 10–15 Runner-up
1976Canadian Open Nora Gardner Marjan Ridder
Joke van Beusekom
17–14, 15–9 Winner
1976Scottish Open Nora Gardner Gillian Gilks
Susan Whetnall
Runner-up
1976Swedish Open Gillian Gilks Winner
1977All England Open Nora Perry Etsuko Toganoo
Emiko Ueno
15–7, 3–15, 7–15 Runner-up
Mixed doubles! Year! Tournament! Partner! Opponent! Score! Result
1972Scottish Open Robert McCoig Derek Talbot
Gillian Gilks
Runner-up
1973Jamaica International Mike Tredgett Sture Johnsson
Eva Twedberg
Runner-up

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lucy. Jenkinson. Tributes to world champion badminton player from Kells, Margaret Beck. The Cumberland News. 26 May 2023. 3 June 2023.
  2. Book: Davis, Pat. Guinness Book of Badminton. Enfield, Middlesex, England. Guinness Superlatives Ltd.. 1983. 106–109, 143.
  3. Web site: 1970 Athletes. Team England.
  4. Web site: Edinburgh, 1970 Team. Team England.
  5. "World Invitation Tournament is Huge Success," World Badminton, October 1974, 2, 3.
  6. Web site: Athletes and results. Commonwealth Games Federation.