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 place 1969 Leidschendam-Voorburg Mixed doubles

Playing career

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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

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World Championships

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

Commonwealth Games

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

European Championships

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

European Junior Championships

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

International tournaments

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

References

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  1. ^ Jenkinson, Lucy (26 May 2023). "Tributes to world champion badminton player from Kells, Margaret Beck". The Cumberland News. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d 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.