Derek Talbot

Derek Talbot MBE (born 1947) is a former English badminton player. One of Britain's most successful "all-rounders," he won eleven English National Championships four singles, three doubles, and four mixed doubles. He also won four Commonwealth Games gold medals and in partnership with the formidable Gillian Gilks he won three mixed doubles crowns at the prestigious All-England Open (1973, 1976, and 1977).

Derek Talbot

1972 European champion Wolfgang Bochow (left) plays against Derek Talbot from England (right).
Personal information
Nationality	British (English)
Born	1947 (age 72–73) [1] Newcastle

Career

World Championships

He won a silver medal in the 1977 IBF World Championships in mixed doubles with Gillian Gilks, losing against Steen Skovgaard and Lene Køppen in the final.

1972 Summer Olympics

Talbot competed in badminton at the 1972 Summer Olympics, where badminton was played as a demonstration sport. In men's doubles he and Elliot Stuart, his former schoolfellow in Newcastle upon Tyne, were defeated in the semifinals by Ade Chandra and Christian Hadinata 15-8, 15-12. In mixed doubles he paired with Gillian Gilks and they won the gold medal, beating Svend Pri and Ulla Strand of Denmark in the final 15-6, 18-16.

Commonwealth Games

Derek Talbot was also successful at the Commonwealth Games, he won 4 gold medals, a silver medal and two bronze medals between 1970 and 1978.[2]

Major achievements

he won the gold medal in the Olympics Mixed Doubles demonstration sport event 1972 Munich with Gilian GIlks

Rank	Event	Date	Venue
World Championships
2	Mixed doubles	1977	Malmö, SWE
European Championships
1	Mixed doubles	1972	Karlskrona, SWE
1	Mixed doubles	1974	Vienna, AUT
1	Mixed doubles	1976	Dublin, IRE
2	Mixed doubles	1970	Port Talbot, WAL
2	Men's doubles	1972	Karlskrona, SWE
2	Men's doubles	1976	Dublin, IRE
3	Singles	1974	Vienna, AUT
3	Mixed doubles	1980	Groningen, NED
Commonwealth Games
1	Mixed doubles	1970	Edinburgh, SCO
1 1	Men's doubles Mixed doubles	1974	Christchurch, NZL
1	Team	1978	Edmonton, CAN
2	Singles	1978	Edmonton, CAN
3	Singles	1974	Christchurch, NZL
3	Mixed doubles	1978	Edmonton, CAN
Open Championships
1	Mixed doubles	1973, 1976, 1977	All England Open
2	Mixed doubles	1971, 1972, 1974	All England Open

Post-Badminton

Towards the latter stages of his badminton career Derek ran a sports shop, which specialised in racket sports, with ex-South African badminton internationalist Eddie Allen, and local man Neil Woodward, in Newcastle. They sold their own Vicourt badminton rackets. When he retired from serious competition, he set up his own badminton company called Talbot Torro Badminton. In recent years Derek left his more traditional career behind and ultimately set up the Natural Patient homeopathic centre in Ibiza.[3]

He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to badminton.[4]

References

1. "1947 births". Free BMD.
2. Commonwealth Games medallists - Badminton
3. "About Derek Talbot". Natural Patient.com. Archived from the original on 20 August 2010.
4. "No. 60534". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 June 2013. p. 23.