Badminton was introduced and only played at the 1981 World Games. The badminton events of World Games I were held on July 25–28, 1981, at the San Jose Civic Auditorium in San Jose, California, in the United States. These were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were hosted by the city of Santa Clara. China, in its first summer multi-sport event since the 1936 Summer Olympics, competed in badminton only, winning four of the five gold medals. Seventeen of the countries at these Games participated in badminton, making it one of the most represented sports. The players executive of the International Badminton Federation, Ciro Ciniglio, expressed disappointment at the lack of media coverage of badminton, saying, "We have many world champions competing here and ... were hoping all these great players would draw crowds. ... The United States over the years has had very good players, some of the finest. It was our hope to help the sport gain popularity in the United states by showcasing all this fine talent."
Medalists
Sources:
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men | |||
| Singles |  Chen Changjie (CHN)
|
 Morten Frost (DEN)
|
 Prakash Padukone (IND) Liem Swie King (INA)
|
| Doubles | Sun Zhian Yao Ximing (CHN) |
 Thomas KihlströmStefan Karlsson (SWE) |
 Billy GillilandDan Travers (SCO) Hariamanto KartonoRudy Heryanto (INA) |
| Women | |||
| Singles | Zhang Ailing (CHN)
|
 Hwang Sun-ai (KOR)
|
Lene Køppen (DEN) Fumiko Tohkairin (JPN)
|
| Doubles | Zhang Ailing Liu Xia (CHN) |
 Nora PerryJane Webster (ENG) |
Hwang Sun-ai Kim Yun-ja (KOR) Fumiko TohkairinSonoe Otsuka (JPN) |
| Mixed | |||
| Doubles | Gillian Gilks (ENG) Thomas Kihlström (SWE)
|
Nora Perry Mike Tredgett (ENG) |
Imelda Wiguna Christian Hadinata (INA) Lene KøppenSteen Skovgaard (DEN) |
Results
Men's singles
First round
Liem Swie King (Indonesia), bye; S. Egbeyemi (Nigeria) def. K. Zeniya (Japan), 15-1, 15-4; S. Modi (India) won by default over J. Sidek (Malaysia); R. Stevens (England) def. A. Salazar (Peru), 15-4, 15-7; Morten Frost Hansen (Denmark) def. P. Johnson (Canada), 15-3, 15-4; G. Valdez (Peru) won by default over M. Sidek (Malaysia); Stephen Baddeley (England) def. G. Higgins (USA) 15-7, 15-8; M. Hadiyanto (Indonesia) won by default over J. P. Baudoin (Belgium)
Second round
M. Hadiyanto (Indonesia) d. Stephen Baddeley (England); plus other matches
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||||||||||||
| Liem Swie King
| 15 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ray Stevens
| 3 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Liem Swie King
| 14 | 15 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||
| Morten Frost
| 18 | 11 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||
| Hadiyanto
| 10 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Morten Frost
| 15 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Morten Frost
| 15 | 7 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||
| Chen Changjie
| 9 | 15 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||
| Chen Changjie
| 18 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Kevin Jolly
| 14 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Chen Changjie
| 18 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Prakash Padukone
| 14 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||
 Pat Tryon
| 5 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Prakash Padukone
| 15 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
Women's singles
First round
Jane Webster (England) d. U. Kinard (USA), 11-7, 11-6; A. Tokuda (sic) (Tōkairin) (Japan) won by default over J. Youngberg (Canada); Yun Ja Kim (South Korea) won by default over L. I. Ivana (Indonesia); C. Carton (USA), d. C. Blackhouse (Canada), 11-7, 11-12, 11-7; Y. Yonekura (Japan) won by default over A. Ghia (India)
Second round
Sun Ai Hwang (South Korea) d. G. Edwards (Nigeria), 11-0, 11-1; L. Blumer (Switzerland) won by default over W. Carter (Canada); L. S. Yeng (Chinese Taipei) won by default over V. Wiharjo (Indonesia); Tōkairin (Japan) d. Webster (England), 11-7, 11-6; Kim (South Korea) d. Carton (USA), 12-11, 11-1; Lene Koppen, (Denmark), d. Yonekura, 11-3, 11-3; Gillian Gilks (England), won by default over T. Sumirah (Indonesia); Zhang Ailing (China), won by default over S. Skillings (Canada).
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||||||||||||
| Hwang Sun-ai
| 11 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||
 Liselotte Blumer
| 3 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Hwang Sun-ai
| 11 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Fumiko Tōkairin
| 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Fumiko Tōkairin
| 11 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Liu Xia
| 7 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Hwang Sun-ai
| 11 | 9 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||
| Zhang Ailing
| 7 | 11 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||
| Lene Køppen
| 11 | 11 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||
| Kim Yun-ja
| 4 | 12 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||
| Lene Køppen
| 4 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Zhang Ailing
| 11 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Gillian Gilks
| 1 | 12 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| Zhang Ailing
| 11 | 11 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||
Men's doubles
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||||||||||||
| Rudy Heryanto Kartono
| 15 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Steve Baddeley Kevin Jolly
| 9 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Rudy Heryanto Kartono
| 15 | 11 | 8 | |||||||||||||||||
| Sun Zhian Yao Ximing
| 3 | 15 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||
| Sun Zhian Yao Ximing
| 17 | 2 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||
| Ade Chandra Christian Hadinata
| 14 | 15 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||
| Sun Zhian Yao Ximing
| 12 | 15 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||
| Stefan Karlsson Thomas Kihlström
| 15 | 4 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||
| Stefan Karlsson Thomas Kihlström
| 15 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ray Stevens Mike Tredgett
| 12 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Stefan Karlsson Thomas Kihlström
| 10 | 15 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||
| Billy Gilliland Dan Travers
| 15 | 0 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||
 Babatunde Badru Samson Egbeyemi
| 6 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Billy Gilliland Dan Travers
| 15 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
- Sun Zhian/Yao Ximing (China) defeated Delfs/Steen Skovgaard (Denmark) in an earlier round.
Women's doubles
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nora Perry Jane Webster
| 15 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
 Judianne Kelly Vicki Toutz
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nora Perry Jane Webster
| 8 | 17 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||
| Hwang Sun-ai Kim Yun-ja
| 15 | 14 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||
| Imelda Wiguna Yoshiko Yonekura
| 4 | 18 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| Hwang Sun-ai Kim Yun-ja
| 15 | 14 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||
| Nora Perry Jane Webster
| 15 | 4 | 8 | |||||||||||||||||
| Liu Xia Zhang Ailing
| 11 | 15 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||
| Sonoe Ōtsuka Fumiko Tōkairin
| w | / | o | |||||||||||||||||
| Wendy Carter Sandra Skillings
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sonoe Ōtsuka Fumiko Tōkairin
| 4 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Liu Xia Zhang Ailing
| 15 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Oby Edoga Grace Edward
| ||||||||||||||||||||
| Liu Xia Zhang Ailing
| w | / | o | |||||||||||||||||
Mixed doubles
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||||||||||||
| Mike Tredgett Nora Perry
| 15 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Li Mao Song Youping
| 11 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Mike Tredgett Nora Perry
| 11 | 15 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||
| Steen Skovgaard Lene Køppen
| 15 | 4 | 8 | |||||||||||||||||
| Babatunde Badiru Grace Edwards
| 5 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Steen Skovgaard Lene Køppen
| 15 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Mike Tredgett Nora Perry
| 6 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Thomas Kihlström Gillian Gilks
| 15 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Christian Hadinata Imelda Wiguna
| 15 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Bob Gilmour Vicki Toutz
| 2 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Christian Hadinata Imelda Wiguna
| 8 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Thomas Kihlström Gillian Gilks
| 15 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Billy Gilliland Karen Chapman
| 15 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Thomas Kihlström Gillian Gilks
| 17 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
- *Badminton-Sport 29 (1981) (9), S. 14
References
- ^ Sargis, Joe (July 29, 1981). "For the Republic of China, the climb back into..." United Press International.
- ^ "World Games playing to mediocre crowds". San Jose Mercury News. July 28, 1981. p. 1D.
- "World Games I Results At Santa Clara Calif., July 24 (sic)". United Press International. July 25, 1981.
- "Santa Clara, USA 1981 Calendar & Results". International World Games Association. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
- "Results of the World Games". International World Games Association. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
- "World Games". San Jose Mercury-News. San Jose, California. July 26, 1981. p. 14E.
- "World Games". San Jose Mercury-News. San Jose, California. July 29, 1981. p. 10D.
- "World Games". San Jose Mercury-News. San Jose, California. July 30, 1981. p. 12E.
- ^ Sargis, Joe (July 25, 1981). "Ana Maria Carrasco of Venezuela shattered her own world..." United Press International.
n women's singles, which progressed through two rounds, Korea had two winners while Taipei and the Republic of China had one each.
- ^ Baddeley, Stephen (October 1981). "China surge through to four titles". Badminton. pp. 10–12.
- "German fin swimmer wins fourth gold medal". San Jose Mercury-News. San Jose, California. July 28, 1981. p. 3D.
- ^ One source (UPI, "Results", July 25) shows L.S. Yeng of Chinese Taipei advancing out of the second round of women’s singles. However, in subsequent days, the press agency does not publish the later quarterfinal results. Another source (Badminton magazine) begins with the quarterfinal results but does not mention L.S. Yeng. Instead it shows Liu Xia losing here. Yet the first source does not mention Liu Xia in its reports of women’s singles (mentioning her only at women's doubles.)
| Events at the 1981 World Games in Santa Clara | |
|---|---|