Margaret Beck

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]

Margaret Beck
Personal information
CountryEngland
Born9 January 1952
Whitehaven, Cumbria, England
Died21 May 2023(2023-05-21) (aged 71)
Whitehaven, Cumbria, England
Medal record
Women's badminton
Representing  England
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1977 Malmö Women's singles
Bronze medal – third place 1977 Malmö Women's doubles
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 1970 Edinburgh Women's singles
Gold medal – first place 1974 Christchurch Women's doubles
Silver medal – second place 1974 Christchurch Women's singles
European Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1970 Port Talbot Women's doubles
Gold medal – first place 1972 Karlskrona Women's singles
Silver medal – second place 1972 Karlskrona Women's doubles
Gold medal – first place 1974 Vienna Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1974 Vienna Women's singles
Silver medal – second place 1976 Dublin Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1976 Dublin Women's singles
European Mixed Team Championships
Gold medal – first place 1972 Karlskrona Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 1974 Vienna Mixed team
Silver medal – second place 1976 Dublin Mixed team
European Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place 1969 Leidschendam-Voorburg Girls' singles
Silver medal – second place 1969 Leidschendam-Voorburg Girls' doubles
Bronze medal – third place1969 Leidschendam-Voorburg Mixed doubles

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

Commonwealth Games

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

European Championships

Women's singles
Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1972 Karlskrona, Sweden England Gillian Gilks 11–0, 11–1 Gold Gold
1974 Vienna, Austria Denmark Lene Køppen 6–11, 12–10, 7–11 Bronze Bronze
1976 Dublin, Ireland Denmark Lene Køppen 5–11, 5–11 Bronze Bronze
Women's doubles
Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1970 Port Talbot, Wales England Gillian Perrin West Germany Irmgard Latz
West Germany Marieluise Wackerow
13–15, 15–9, 3–15 Bronze Bronze
1972 Karlskrona, Sweden England Julie Rickard England Gillian Gilks
England Judy Hashman
11–15, 7–15 Silver Silver
1974 Vienna, Austria England Gillian Gilks England Nora Gardner
England Susan Whetnall
15–10, 15–13 Gold Gold
1976 Dublin, Ireland England Nora Gardner England Gillian Gilks
England Susan Whetnall
4–15, 8–15 Silver Silver

European Junior Championships

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

International tournaments

Women's singles
Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
1970 Wimbledon Open United States Tyna Barinaga 11–8, 11–1 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1971 Irish Open 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1971 Swedish Open Sweden Eva Twedberg 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1971 Scottish Open England Gillian Gilks 9–11, 5–11 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1972 Scottish Open England Gillian Gilks 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1973 All England Open England Gillian Gilks 11–8, 11–0 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1973 Jamaica International Sweden Eva Twedberg 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1973 Portugal International 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1974 German Open Netherlands Joke van Beusekom 11–1, 11–4 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1974 Scottish Open England Gillian Gilks 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1975 Canadian Open Netherlands Joke van Beusekom 11–4, 11–3 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1975 Dutch Open England Gillian Gilks 7–11, 3–11 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1976 All England Open England Gillian Gilks 0–11, 3–11 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1976 Canadian Open Canada Wendy Clarkson 11–2, 5–11, 10–12 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1976 Scottish Open England Gillian Gilks 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1977 German Open West Germany Brigitte Steden 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
Women's doubles
Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1970 Wimbledon Open England Julie Rickard United States Tyna Barinaga
England Nora Gardner
6–15, 7–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1971 Irish Open England Julie Rickard 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1971 Scottish Open England Gillian Gilks Republic of Ireland Barbara Beckett
Australia Kay Nesbit
15–6, 15–7 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1972 Swedish Open England Gillian Gilks Denmark Anne Flindt
Denmark Pernille Kaagaard
15–8, 15–8 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1972 All England Open England Julie Rickard Japan Machako Aizawa
Japan Etsuko Takenaka
15–9, 8–15, 12–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1972 Scottish Open England Helen Horton England Bridget Cooper
England Gillian Gilks
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1973 Swedish Open England Gillian Gilks Netherlands Marjan Luesken
Netherlands Joke van Beusekom
15–8, 15–8 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1973 All England Open England Gillian Gilks Japan Machako Aizawa
Japan Etsuko Takenaka
10–15, 15–10, 11–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1973 Canadian Open Netherlands Joke van Beusekom Canada Mimi Nilsson
Canada Judi Rollick
1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1973 Jamaica International England Bridget Cooper Canada Jennifer Dakin
Canada Barb O'Brien
1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1974 All England Open England Gillian Gilks England Margaret Boxall
England Susan Whetnall
15–5, 18–14 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1974 German Open England Gillian Gilks West Germany Brigitte Steden
West Germany Marieluise Zizmann
15–12, 12–15, 15–6 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1974 Scottish Open England Gillian Gilks England Margaret Boxall
England Susan Whetnall
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1975 Canadian Open Netherlands Joke van Beusekom Canada Barbara Welch
Canada Jane Youngberg
12–15, 15–11, 15–4 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1975 Dutch Open England Gillian Gilks England Nora Gardner
England Susan Whetnall
12–15, 17–14, 7–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1976 All England Open England Nora Gardner England Gillian Gilks
England Susan Whetnall
10–15, 10–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1976 Canadian Open England Nora Gardner Netherlands Marjan Ridder
Netherlands Joke van Beusekom
17–14, 15–9 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1976 Scottish Open England Nora Gardner England Gillian Gilks
England Susan Whetnall
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1976 Swedish Open England Gillian Gilks 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1977 All England Open England Nora Perry Japan Etsuko Toganoo
Japan Emiko Ueno
15–7, 3–15, 7–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
Mixed doubles
Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1972 Scottish Open Scotland Robert McCoig England Derek Talbot
England Gillian Gilks
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1973 Jamaica International England Mike Tredgett Sweden Sture Johnsson
Sweden Eva Twedberg
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up

References

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