Barbara Beckett

{{Short description|Northern Irish international badminton player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Use British English|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox badminton player | name = Barbara Beckett | nationality = British (Northern Irish) | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = March 1952<ref name=BT>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002318/19800204/379/0020 |title=Barbara to quit Irish badminton |work=Belfast Telegraph |date=4 February 1980|page=20|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=14 March 2026}}</ref> | birth_place = | death_date = | height = | weight = | event = | club = Alpha BC, Lisburn | highest_ranking = | date_of_highest_ranking = | medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry| {{NIR}}}} {{MedalCompetition|[[Irish National Badminton Championships|Irish Nationals]]}} {{MedalGold|1973–76, 1978–79<br>1983, 1986|singles}} {{MedalGold|1974–76, 1979, 1983|women's doubles}} {{MedalGold|1973–76, 1978–79|mixed doubles}} {{MedalCompetition|[[Irish Open (badminton)|Irish Open]]}} {{MedalGold|1973, 1976|singles}} {{MedalGold|1973, 1976|women's doubles}} {{MedalGold|1973, 1976|mixed doubles}} }}

'''Barbara Beckett''' (born March 1952) is a former international [[badminton]] player from Northern Ireland who competed at two [[Commonwealth Games]] and was a 19-times champion of Ireland.

== Biography == Beckett won her first titles in 1973 at both the [[Irish National Badminton Championships|Irish Championships]] and the [[Irish Open (badminton)|Irish Open]]. In the same year she also won at [[Welsh International]].

Beckett represented the [[Northern Ireland at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games|Northern Irish team]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002318/19731006/452/0014 |title=Christchurch contenders |work=Belfast Telegraph |date=6 October 1973 |page=14|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=14 March 2026}}</ref> at the [[1974 British Commonwealth Games]] in [[Christchurch]], New Zealand,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004162/19740119/085/0007 |title=Mike Go For Gold |work=Ireland's Saturday Night |date=19 January 1974|page=7|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=14 March 2026}}</ref> where she competed in the [[Badminton at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games|singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles events]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021061315/https://thecgf.com/results/games/3038/48/all |title=Northern Ireland Christchurch 1974 |website=Commonwealth Games Federation |access-date=14 March 2026}}</ref>

Four years later she represented the [[Northern Ireland at the 1978 Commonwealth Games|Northern Irish team]] again at the [[1978 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Edmonton]], Canada,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002318/19780613/512/0022 |title=Julie (13) for Games |work=Belfast Telegraph |date=13 June 1978 |page=22 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=14 March 2026}}</ref> where she competed in [[Badminton at the 1978 Commonwealth Games|four events]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029114955/https://thecgf.com/results/games/3039 |title=Medal Standings Edmonton 1978 |website=Commonwealth Games Federation |access-date=14 March 2026}}</ref>

In 1980 after earning 52 international caps she pulled out of the Irish team in order to seek a place in the English rankings.<ref name=BT/> She was living in Birmingham for several years.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004162/19741214/133/0009 |title=Ireland's number one badminton girl |work=Ireland's Saturday Night |date=14 December 1974|page=9|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=14 March 2026}}</ref>

In 1980 she was first at the [[Scottish Open (badminton)|Scottish Open]]. In total, she won 19 national titles.<ref name="Badminton Ireland">{{cite web |title=Senior Nationals entering its 105th year |url=https://www.badmintonireland.com/news/108915/Senior-Nationals-entering-its-105th-year |website=Badminton Ireland |accessdate=14 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.badmintonireland.com/page/badminton-ireland/badminton-ireland-history/irish-senior-nationals-winners |title=Irish Senior Nationals Winners | website=Badminton Ireland |access-date=14 March 2026}}</ref>

She was coached by [[Winston Wilkinson (badminton)|Winston Wilkinson]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Coach Winston well-known at badminton club |url=https://www.lisburntoday.co.uk/news/coach-winston-well-known-badminton-club-2617878 |accessdate=14 July 2020 |work=www.lisburntoday.co.uk |date=18 October 2014 |language=en}}</ref>

== Achievements == {| class=wikitable style=font-size:90%; ! Year ! Tournament ! Event ! Winner |- | 1973 | [[Irish National Badminton Championships]] | Mixed |[[Adrian Bell (badminton)|Adrian Bell]] / Barbara Beckett

== References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beckett, Barbara}} [[Category:1952 births]] [[Category:Irish female badminton players]] [[Category:Badminton players at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games]] [[Category:Badminton players at the 1978 Commonwealth Games]] [[Category:20th-century women from Northern Ireland]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century Irish sportswomen]]