# Dan Travers

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For the Caymanian Alpine Ski racer, see [Dean Travers](/source/Dean_Travers).

**Daniel Travers** (born 16 June 1956) is a former [badminton](/source/Badminton) player and national coach for Scotland, who competed at the [Commonwealth Games](/source/Commonwealth_Games) and won a medal at the European Championships.[1][2]

## Biography

Travers was a bronze medalist at the 1981 World Games, losing out to Swedish pair in semifinals. Travers competed in three commonwealth games in 1978, 1986 & 1990. He was Commonwealth games champion of 1986 in men's doubles with [Billy Gilliland](/source/Billy_Gilliland), first ever player(s) in history of Scottish badminton to be a gold medalist. Until now, they remain only gold medalist from their country in badminton. They also reached career high of World no. 2 after their display at the All England in 1982.[3]

At the [1986 Commonwealth Games](/source/1986_Commonwealth_Games), Travers was denied an almost certain team bronze medal when teammate [Alison Fulton](/source/Alison_Fulton) was carried off the court during the third match with Scotland leading Australia 2–0 at the time.[4] Also in 1986, along with Billy Gilliland, they were awarded with BBC Scotland Sportsperson of the year.[5]

He became National coach of Scotland in 1997 and later president of [Badminton Scotland](/source/Badminton_Scotland) and has coached players at many Commonwealth games & other championships, even playing competitive sport himself at the senior level. He is a numerous time European Senior Champion and World Senior Champion as well.[6]

Travers married fellow Scottish international [Aileen Nairn](/source/Aileen_Nairn).[7][8]

## Achievements

### World Games

*Men's doubles*

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1981 San Jose Civic Auditorium, California, United States Billy Gilliland Thomas Kihlström Stefan Karlsson 15–10, 0–15, 9–15 Bronze

### World Senior Championships

*Mixed doubles*

Year Age Venue Partner Opponent Score Result Ref 2025 65+ Eastern National Sports Training Centre, Pattaya, Thailand Christine Black Birger Steenberg Maria Brzeznicka 21–14, 18–21, 21–15 Gold [9]

### Commonwealth Games

*Men's doubles*

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1986 Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland Billy Gilliland Andy Goode Nigel Tier 15–8, 15–5 Gold

### European Championships

*Men's doubles*

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1984 Guild Hall, Preston, England Billy Gilliland Morten Frost Jens Peter Nierhoff 13–15, 14–18 Bronze

### IBF World Grand Prix

The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983 to 2006.

*Men's doubles*

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1984 Canada Open Billy Gilliland Razif Sidek Jalani Sidek 11–15, 9–15 Runner-up 1985 Canada Open Billy Gilliland Jens Peter Nierhoff Henrik Svarrer 12–15, 11–15 Runner-up 1985 Scottish Open Billy Gilliland Michael Kjeldsen Mark Christiansen 2–15, 4–15 Runner-up 1986 Dutch Open Billy Gilliland He Xiangyang Tang Hai 13–18, 9–15 Runner-up 1986 Scottish Open Billy Gilliland Jesper Knudsen Henrik Svarrer 10–15, 10–15 Runner-up

### Open tournaments

*Men's singles*

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1980 Irish Open Bill Thompson –, – Winner

*Men's doubles*

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1980 Irish Open Gordon Hamilton Frazer Evans Brian McKee –, – Winner 1980 Welsh Open Billy Gilliland Ray Stevens Mike Tredgett 15–7, 11–15, 6–15 Runner-up 1980 Bells Open Billy Gilliland Ray Stevens Steve Baddeley 9–15, 9–15 Runner-up 1981 Bells Open Billy Gilliland Duncan Bridge Martin Dew 18–17, 15–12 Winner 1981 Dutch Open Billy Gilliland Andy Goode Mike Tredgett 15–5, 15–8 Winner 1982 Victor Cup Billy Gilliland Martin Dew Mike Tredgett 3–15, 2–15 Runner-up 1982 Scottish Open Billy Gilliland Donald Burden Mark Elliott 15–10, 15–10 Winner 1982 Canada Open Billy Gilliland Lars Wengberg Torbjörn Petersson 5–15, 13–15 Runner-up 1982 All England Open Billy Gilliland Jalani Sidek Razif Sidek 15–8, 9–15, 10–15 Runner-up 1982 Irish Open Billy Gilliland Ed Romejin Bas von Barnau Sijthoff 15–7, 15–8 Winner 1982 Portugal Open Billy Gilliland Darren Hall Ray Stevens 13–15, 8–15 Runner-up 1982 Dutch Open Billy Gilliland Martin Dew Mike Tredgett 15–11, 5–15, 15–17 Runner-up

*Mixed doubles*

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1980 Irish Open Christine Heatly Frazer Evans Diane Underwood –, – Runner-up

### IBF International

*Men's singles*

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1985 Bells Open Glen Milton 9–15, 4–15 Runner-up 1986 Irish International Alex White 10–15, 14–15 Runner-up

*Men's doubles*

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1983 Irish International Billy Gilliland Barry Coffey John McArdle 15–2, 15–4 Winner 1983 Scottish International Billy Gilliland Gerry Asquith Andy Goode 15–6, 15–7 Winner 1984 Bells Open Billy Gilliland Bobby Ertanto Hafid Yusuf 15–8, 15–5 Winner 1984 Welsh International Billy Gilliland Martin Dew Morten Frost 15–8, 18–15 Winner 1985 Irish International Billy Gilliland Mark Elliott Gary Scott 15–3, 18–14 Winner 1985 Bells Open Billy Gilliland Mike Brown Richard Outterside 15–7, 15–7 Winner 1986 Bells Open Billy Gilliland Andy Goode Miles Johnson 15–12, 18–14 Winner 1986 Irish International Alex White Miles Johnson Andy Salvidge 18–15, 15–8 Winner 1987 Irish International Billy Gilliland Iain Pringle Alex White 9–15, 15–12, 16–18 Runner-up 1988 Irish International Anthony Gallagher Iain Pringle Alex White 7–15, 8–15 Runner-up 1989 Irish International Kenny Middlemiss Anthony Gallagher Russell Hogg 15–6, 15–6 Winner

*Mixed doubles*

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1983 Irish International Pamela Hamilton Billy Gilliland Christine Heatly 5–15, 12–15 Runner-up 1985 Irish International Pamela Hamilton Billy Gilliland Elinor Allen 16–17, 13–15 Runner-up 1986 Irish International Morag McKay Miles Johnson Caroline Gay 15–10, 15–7 Winner

## References

1. ["Profile:Dan Travers"](https://bwfbadminton.com/player/578/dan-travers). *bwfbadminton.com*. Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 11 January 2021.

1. ["Daniel "Dan" Travers"](https://web.archive.org/web/20240430035247/https://universitystory.gla.ac.uk/biography/?id=WH25784&type=P#:~:text=Travers%20coached%20the%20Scottish%20team,Christine%20Black%20(n%C3%A9e%20Heatly).). *universitystory.gla.ac.uk*. 18 June 2014. Archived from [the original](https://universitystory.gla.ac.uk/biography/?id=WH25784&type=P#:~:text=Travers%20coached%20the%20Scottish%20team,Christine%20Black%20(n%C3%A9e%20Heatly).) on 30 April 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2021.

1. Egelstaff, Susan (30 April 2014). ["Meeting two men who took gold at our last home Games"](https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/13158114.meeting-two-men-who-took-gold-at-our-last-home-games/). *www.heraldscotland.com*. The Herald. Retrieved 11 January 2021.

1. ["Tragic injury deprives Scots of a medal"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19860728/149/0011). *Dundee Courier*. 28 July 1986. p. 11. Retrieved 19 January 2026. – via British Newspaper Archive.

1. Burnside, Elspeth (10 December 1986). ["Travers in with treble chance"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xvs9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=M0kMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6744%2C2631886). *Glasgow Herald*. p. 22. Retrieved 17 June 2016.

1. ["Perth's Dan Travers reflects on World Senior Championships victory"](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/local-sport/perths-dan-travers-reflects-world-11223836.amp). *www.dailyrecord.co.uk*. Perthshire Advertiser. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2021.

1. ["Travers to look after future of badminton"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19960229/247/0020). *Dundee Courier*. 29 February 1996. p. 20. Retrieved 14 January 2026. – via British Newspaper Archive.

1. ["Travers seeks different future"](https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12540464.travers-seeks-different-future/). *www.heraldscotland.com*. Herald Scotland. 8 March 1995. Retrieved 22 May 2021.

1. ["Amazing Thailand-Pattaya BWF World Senior Championships 2025"](https://bwfbadminton.com/results/5264/amazing-thailand-pattaya-bwf-world-senior-championships-2025). bwfbadminton. Retrieved 13 September 2025.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dan Travers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Travers) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Travers?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.