# Heather Ward

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English badminton player

Heather Ward (married name Heather Nielsen) Personal information Born October 1938 (age 87)[1] Surrey Sport Country England Sport Badminton

**Heather Maureen Ward** (later **Heather Nielsen**; born October 1938) is a former English [badminton](/source/Badminton) player who won international championships and competed at an elite level during a two decade span from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s.

## Biography

Noted for her grace and athleticism, she won women's doubles with American [Margaret Varner](/source/Margaret_Varner) at the [1958 All England Badminton Championships](/source/1958_All_England_Badminton_Championships) (then the world's most prestigious tournament for individual competitors).[2] The following year Ward interrupted the reign of the great [Judy Devlin (Hashman)](/source/Judy_Devlin) by defeating her in the [1959 All England Badminton Championships](/source/1959_All_England_Badminton_Championships) women's singles final.[3] During the 1960s her badminton career was hampered by a variety of factors including athletic injury, marriage and motherhood, and residence in South Africa. In 1970, however, she returned to the [1970 All England Badminton Championships](/source/1970_All_England_Badminton_Championships) to reach the final of women's singles before bowing to Japan's [Etsuko Takenaka](/source/Etsuko_Toganoo).[4] Continuing to compete, she was an All-England singles quarter-finalist as late as 1975.[5]

She married Egon Nielsen and they had four children Bjorn, Gorm, Belinda and [Anders Nielsen](/source/Anders_Nielsen_(badminton)).[6]

## Achievements

### International tournaments (11 titles, 10 runners-up)

*Women's singles*

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1956 Scottish Open Iris Rogers 11–6, 4–11, 5–11 Runner-up 1957 Irish Open Iris Rogers 9–12, 12–11, 1–11 Runner-up 1958 Scottish Open Iris Rogers 6–11, 11–3, 11–4 Winner 1958 Welsh International P. E. Broad 11–1, 11–4 Winner 1959 Irish Open Iris Rogers 11–4, 11–8 Winner 1959 All England Open Judy Devlin 11–7, 3–11, 11–4 Winner 1966 Dutch Open Angela Bairstow 7–11, 11–8, 5–11 Runner-up 1970 All England Open Etsuko Takenaka 3–11, 4–11 Runner-up

*Women's doubles*

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1956 Scottish Open M. Crockett Iris Rogers June Timperley 7–15, 3–15 Runner-up 1957 Irish Open Barbara Carpenter Iris Rogers June Timperley 13–18, 15–11, 2–15 Runner-up 1957 Swedish Open Hanne Roest Iris Rogers June Timperley 2–15, 7–15 Runner-up 1958 Scottish Open Barbara Carpenter Iris Rogers June Timperley 13–15, 7–15 Runner-up 1958 All England Open Margaret Varner Bloss Iris Rogers June Timperley 15–12, 15–2 Winner 1958 Welsh International P. E. Broad B. Maxwell J. Davidson 15–5, 15–6 Winner 1959 Irish Open Barbara Carpenter Iris Rogers June Timperley 6–15, 5–15 Runner-up 1959 Belgian International Barbara Carpenter Tonny Holst-Christensen Inger Kjærgaard 15–8, 15–9 Winner 1966 Denmark Open Imre Rietveld Karin Jørgensen Ulla Strand 4–15, 12–15 Runner-up 1966 Dutch Open Jenny Horton Agnes Geene Imre Rietveld 17–14, 15–3 Winner 1974 Swedish Open Barbara Giles Brigitte Steden Marieluise Wackerow 6–15, 15–13, 15–10 Winner

*Mixed doubles*

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1958 Welsh International Hugh Findlay Tony Jordan P. E. Broad 15–11, 15–7 Winner 1959 Belgian International Hugh Findlay Ronald Lockwood Barbara Carpenter 15–11, 15–11 Winner

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["1938 births"](https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?r=177496454:9375&d=bmd_1588661647). Free BMD.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Herbert Scheele ed., The *International Badminton Federation Handbook for 1971* (Canterbury, Kent, England: J. A. Jennings Ltd., 1971) 166.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Scheele, 163.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Scheele, 164.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Pat Davis, The *Guinness Book of Badminton* (Enfield, Middlesex, England: Guinness Superlatives Ltd., 1983) 162.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Badminton mourns Anders Nielsen"](https://www.badmintonengland.co.uk/news/badminton-mourns-anders-nielsen/). Badminton England.

v t e All England Open badminton women's singles champions 1900: Ethel Thomson (ENG) 1901: Ethel Thomson (ENG) 1902: Meriel Lucas (ENG) 1903: Ethel Thomson (ENG) 1904: Ethel Thomson (ENG) 1905: Meriel Lucas (ENG) 1906: Ethel Thomson (ENG) 1907: Meriel Lucas (ENG) 1908: Meriel Lucas (ENG) 1909: Meriel Lucas (ENG) 1910: Meriel Lucas (ENG) 1911: Margaret Tragett (ENG) 1912: Margaret Tragett (ENG) 1913: Lavinia Radeglia (ENG) 1914: Lavinia Radeglia (ENG) 1920: Kathleen McKane (ENG) 1921: Kathleen McKane (ENG) 1922: Kathleen McKane (ENG) 1923: Lavinia Radeglia (ENG) 1924: Kathleen McKane (ENG) 1925: Margaret Stocks (ENG) 1926: Marjorie Barrett (ENG) 1927: Marjorie Barrett (ENG) 1928: Margaret Tragett (ENG) 1929: Marjorie Barrett (ENG) 1930: Marjorie Barrett (ENG) 1931: Marjorie Barrett (ENG) 1932: Leoni Kingsbury (ENG) 1933: Alice Woodroffe (ENG) 1934: Leoni Kingsbury (ENG) 1935: Betty Uber (ENG) 1936: Thelma Kingsbury (ENG) 1937: Thelma Kingsbury (ENG) 1938: Daphne Young (ENG) 1939: Dorothy Walton (CAN) 1947: Marie Ussing (DEN) 1948: Kirsten Thorndahl (DEN) 1949: Aase Schiøtt Jacobsen (DEN) 1950: Tonny Ahm (DEN) 1951: Aase Schiøtt Jacobsen (DEN) 1952: Tonny Ahm (DEN) 1953: Marie Ussing (DEN) 1954: Judy Devlin (USA) 1955: Margaret Varner (USA) 1956: Margaret Varner (USA) 1957: Judy Devlin (USA) 1958: Judy Devlin (USA) 1959: Heather Ward (ENG) 1960: Judy Devlin (USA) 1961: Judy Hashman (USA) 1962: Judy Hashman (USA) 1963: Judy Hashman (USA) 1964: Judy Hashman (USA) 1965: Ursula Smith (ENG) 1966: Judy Hashman (USA) 1967: Judy Hashman (USA) 1968: Eva Twedberg (SWE) 1969: Hiroe Yuki (JPN) 1970: Etsuko Takenaka (JPN) 1971: Eva Twedberg (SWE) 1972: Noriko Nakayama (JPN) 1973: Margaret Beck (ENG) 1974: Hiroe Yuki (JPN) 1975: Hiroe Yuki (JPN) 1976: Gillian Gilks (ENG) 1977: Hiroe Yuki (JPN) 1978: Gillian Gilks (ENG) 1979: Lene Køppen (DEN) 1980: Lene Køppen (DEN) 1981: Hwang Sun-ai (KOR) 1982: Zhang Ailing (CHN) 1983: Zhang Ailing (CHN) 1984: Li Lingwei (CHN) 1985: Han Aiping (CHN) 1986: Kim Yun-ja (KOR) 1987: Kirsten Larsen (DEN) 1988: Gu Jiaming (CHN) 1989: Li Lingwei (CHN) 1990: Susi Susanti (INA) 1991: Susi Susanti (INA) 1992: Tang Jiuhong (CHN) 1993: Susi Susanti (INA) 1994: Susi Susanti (INA) 1995: Lim Xiaoqing (SWE) 1996: Bang Soo-hyun (KOR) 1997: Ye Zhaoying (CHN) 1998: Ye Zhaoying (CHN) 1999: Ye Zhaoying (CHN) 2000: Gong Zhichao (CHN) 2001: Gong Zhichao (CHN) 2002: Camilla Martin (DEN) 2003: Zhou Mi (CHN) 2004: Gong Ruina (CHN) 2005: Xie Xingfang (CHN) 2006: Xie Xingfang (CHN) 2007: Xie Xingfang (CHN) 2008: Tine Rasmussen (DEN) 2009: Wang Yihan (CHN) 2010: Tine Rasmussen (DEN) 2011: Wang Shixian (CHN) 2012: Li Xuerui (CHN) 2013: Tine Baun (DEN) 2014: Wang Shixian (CHN) 2015: Carolina Marín (ESP) 2016: Nozomi Okuhara (JPN) 2017: Tai Tzu-ying (TPE) 2018: Tai Tzu-ying (TPE) 2019: Chen Yufei (CHN) 2020: Tai Tzu-ying (TPE) 2021: Nozomi Okuhara (JPN) 2022: Akane Yamaguchi (JPN) 2023: An Se-young (KOR) 2024: Carolina Marín (ESP) 2025: An Se-young (KOR) 2026: Wang Zhiyi (CHN)

v t e All England Open badminton women's doubles champions 1899: Meriel Lucas & Mary Graeme (ENG) 1900: Meriel Lucas & Mary Graeme (ENG) 1901: Daisy St. John & E. Moseley (ENG) 1902: Ethel Thomson & Meriel Lucas (ENG) 1903: Mabel Hardy & Dorothea Douglass (ENG) 1904: Ethel Thomson & Meriel Lucas (ENG) 1905: Ethel Thomson & Meriel Lucas (ENG) 1906: Ethel Thomson & Meriel Lucas (ENG) 1907: G. L. Murray & Meriel Lucas (ENG) 1908: G. L. Murray & Meriel Lucas (ENG) 1909: G. L. Murray & Meriel Lucas (ENG) 1910: Muriel Bateman & Meriel Lucas (ENG) 1911: Dorothy Cundall & Alice Gowenlock (ENG) 1912: Dorothy Cundall & Alice Gowenlock (ENG) 1913: Hazel Hogarth & Muriel Bateman (ENG) 1914: Eveline Peterson & Margaret Tragett (ENG) 1920: Lavinia Radeglia & Violet Elton (ENG) 1921: Kathleen McKane & Margaret Stocks (ENG) 1922: Hazel Hogarth & Margaret Tragett (ENG) 1923: Hazel Hogarth & Margaret Tragett (ENG) 1924: Kathleen McKane & Margaret Stocks (ENG) 1925: Hazel Hogarth & Margaret Tragett (ENG) 1926: Violet Elton (ENG) & A. M. Head (IRE) 1927: Hazel Hogarth & Margaret Tragett (ENG) 1928: Marjorie Barrett & Violet Elton (ENG) 1929: Marjorie Barrett & Violet Elton (ENG) 1930: Marjorie Barrett & Violet Elton (ENG) 1931: Marian Horsley & Betty Uber (ENG) 1932: Marjorie Barrett & Leoni Kingsbury (ENG) 1933: Marje Henderson & Thelma Kingsbury (ENG) 1934: Marje Henderson & Thelma Kingsbury (ENG) 1935: Marje Henderson & Thelma Kingsbury (ENG) 1936: Marje Henderson & Thelma Kingsbury (ENG) 1937: Diana Doveton & Betty Uber (ENG) 1938: Diana Doveton & Betty Uber (ENG) 1939: Tonny Ahm & Ruth Dalsgaard (DEN) 1947: Tonny Ahm & Kirsten Thorndahl (DEN) 1948: Tonny Ahm & Kirsten Thorndahl (DEN) 1949: Queenie Allen & Betty Uber (ENG) 1950: Tonny Ahm & Kirsten Thorndahl (DEN) 1951: Tonny Ahm & Kirsten Thorndahl (DEN) 1952: Tonny Ahm & Aase Schiøtt Jacobsen (DEN) 1953: Iris Cooley & June White (ENG) 1954: Judy Devlin & Susan Devlin (USA) 1955: Iris Cooley & June White (ENG) 1956: Judy Devlin & Susan Devlin (USA) 1957: Anni Hammergaard Hansen & Kirsten Thorndahl (DEN) 1958: Margaret Varner (USA) & Heather Ward (ENG) 1959: Iris Rogers & June Timperley (ENG) 1960: Judy Devlin & Susan Devlin (USA) 1961: Judy Hashman (USA) & Sue Peard (IRE) 1962: Judy Hashman (USA) & Tonny Holst-Christensen (DEN) 1963: Judy Hashman (USA) & Sue Peard (IRE) 1964: Karin Jørgensen & Ulla Rasmussen (DEN) 1965: Karin Jørgensen & Ulla Strand (DEN) 1966: Judy Hashman (USA) & Sue Peard (IRE) 1967: Imre Rietveld (NED) & Ulla Strand (DEN) 1968: Retno Kustijah & Minarni (INA) 1969: Margaret Boxall & Susan Whetnall (ENG) 1970: Margaret Boxall & Susan Whetnall (ENG) 1971: Noriko Takagi & Hiroe Yuki (JPN) 1972: Machiko Aizawa & Etsuko Takanaka (JPN) 1973: Machiko Aizawa & Etsuko Takanaka (JPN) 1974: Margaret Beck & Gillian Gilks (ENG) 1975: Machiko Aizawa & Etsuko Takanaka (JPN) 1976: Gillian Gilks & Susan Whetnall (ENG) 1977: Etsuko Toganoo & Emiko Ueno (JPN) 1978: Mikiko Takada & Atsuko Tokuda (JPN) 1979: Imelda Wiguna & Verawaty Wiharjo (INA) 1980: Gillian Gilks & Nora Perry (ENG) 1981: Nora Perry & Jane Webster (ENG) 1982: Lin Ying & Wu Dixi (CHN) 1983: Wu Jianqiu & Xu Rong (CHN) 1984: Lin Ying & Wu Dixi (CHN) 1985: Han Aiping & Li Lingwei (CHN) 1986: Chung Myung-hee & Hwang Hye-young (KOR) 1987: Chung Myung-hee & Hwang Hye-young (KOR) 1988: Chung So-young & Kim Yun-ja (KOR) 1989: Chung Myung-hee & Chung So-young (KOR) 1990: Chung Myung-hee & Hwang Hye-young (KOR) 1991: Chung So-young & Hwang Hye-young (KOR) 1992: Lin Yanfen & Yao Fen (CHN) 1993: Chung So-young & Gil Young-ah (KOR) 1994: Chung So-young & Gil Young-ah (KOR) 1995: Gil Young-ah & Jang Hye-ock (KOR) 1996: Ge Fei & Gu Jun (CHN) 1997: Ge Fei & Gu Jun (CHN) 1998: Ge Fei & Gu Jun (CHN) 1999: Chung Jae-hee & Ra Kyung-min (KOR) 2000: Ge Fei & Gu Jun (CHN) 2001: Gao Ling & Huang Sui (CHN) 2002: Gao Ling & Huang Sui (CHN) 2003: Gao Ling & Huang Sui (CHN) 2004: Gao Ling & Huang Sui (CHN) 2005: Gao Ling & Huang Sui (CHN) 2006: Gao Ling & Huang Sui (CHN) 2007: Wei Yili & Zhang Yawen (CHN) 2008: Lee Hyo-jung & Lee Kyung-won (KOR) 2009: Zhang Yawen & Zhao Tingting (CHN) 2010: Du Jing & Yu Yang (CHN) 2011: Wang Xiaoli & Yu Yang (CHN) 2012: Tian Qing & Zhao Yunlei (CHN) 2013: Wang Xiaoli & Yu Yang (CHN) 2014: Wang Xiaoli & Yu Yang (CHN) 2015: Bao Yixin & Tang Yuanting (CHN) 2016: Misaki Matsutomo & Ayaka Takahashi (JPN) 2017: Chang Ye-na & Lee So-hee (KOR) 2018: Christinna Pedersen & Kamilla Rytter Juhl (DEN) 2019: Chen Qingchen & Jia Yifan (CHN) 2020: Yuki Fukushima & Sayaka Hirota (JPN) 2021: Mayu Matsumoto & Wakana Nagahara (JPN) 2022: Nami Matsuyama & Chiharu Shida (JPN) 2023: Kim So-yeong & Kong Hee-yong (KOR) 2024: Baek Ha-na & Lee So-hee (KOR) 2025: Nami Matsuyama & Chiharu Shida (JPN) 2026: Liu Shengshu & Tan Ning (CHN)

v t e World Invitational badminton women's doubles champions 1954: Iris Cooley & June White (ENG) 1956: Margaret Varner & Lois Alston (USA) 1957: Margaret Varner & Lois Alston (USA) 1958: Margaret Varner (USA) & Heather Ward (ENG) 1959: Catherine Dunglison & Wilma Tyre (SCO) 1960: Pratuang Pattabongse (THA) & Margaret Varner (USA) 1962: Karin Jørgensen & Ulla Rasmussen (DEN) 1963: Karin Jørgensen & Ulla Rasmussen (DEN) 1965: Margaret Barrand & Jenny Pritchard (ENG) 1966: Margaret Barrand & Jenny Horton (ENG) 1969: Hiroe Amano & Noriko Takagi (JPN) 1971: Maureen Hume (SCO) & Eva Twedberg (SWE) 1974 (Scotland): Machiko Aizawa & Etsuko Takenaka (JPN) 1974 (Asia): Regina Masli & Minarni (INA) 1975: Margaret Beck & Gillian Gilks (ENG) 1978 (WBF): Li Fang & Liang Qiuxia (CHN)

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