Flemming Delfs

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Flemming Delfs
Personal information
CountryDenmark
Born (1951-09-07) 7 September 1951 (age 72)
HandednessRight
Men's singles
Highest ranking1 (1977)
Medal record
Men's badminton
Representing  Denmark
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1977 Malmö Men's Singles
Bronze medal – third place 1980 Jakarta Men's doubles
World Cup
Silver medal – second place 1980 Kyoto Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1979 Tokyo Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 1980 Kyoto Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 1979 Tokyo Men's doubles
Thomas Cup
Silver medal – second place 1973 Jakarta Men's team
Silver medal – second place 1979 Jakarta Men's team
Bronze medal – third place 1982 London Men's team
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1976 Dublin Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 1978 Preston Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 1980 Groningen Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 1976 Dublin Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 1978 Preston Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 1980 Groningen Mixed team
Silver medal – second place 1972 Karlskrona Mixed team
Silver medal – second place 1974 Vienna Mixed team
Bronze medal – third place 1972 Karlskrona Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 1974 Vienna Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 1974 Vienna Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1980 Groningen Men's doubles
European Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 1969 Leidschendam-Voorburg Boys' singles
Bronze medal – third place 1969 Leidschendam-Voorburg Boys' doubles

Flemming Delfs (born September 7, 1951) is a former Danish badminton player who was world no. 1 in 1977. He won the All England Championship, the European and the World Championship in the 1970s.

Career[edit]

Delfs is especially noteworthy for winning men's singles[1] at the first IBF World Championships held in Malmö, Sweden in 1977.[2] He dominated that same 1976/1977 season by winning nearly all other noteworthy tournaments, including the All-England Championships.[3] Delfs won three consecutive European men's singles titles in 1976, 1978, and 1980.[4] He played on all four Danish Thomas Cup (men's international) teams between 1972 and 1982, two of which (1973, 1979) reached the championship round before losing to Indonesia.[5] Tall, with an elegant style and powerful backhand, Delfs was a highly impressive player at his best, but typically had difficulty in the hot, humid conditions he encountered in the Far East.[6]

Later life[edit]

After ending his active career, Delfs became CEO and co-owner of Patrick Skandinavia A/S the Danish distributor for Patrick.

Achievements[edit]

World Championships[edit]

Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1977 Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden Denmark Svend Pri 15–5, 15–6 Gold Gold

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
1980 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Denmark Steen Skovgaard Indonesia Rudy Heryanto
Indonesia Hariamanto Kartono
7–15, 7–15 Bronze Bronze

World Cup[edit]

Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1979 Tokyo, Japan Indonesia Iie Sumirat 7–15, 7–15 Bronze Bronze
1980 Kyoto, Japan Japan Masao Tsuchida 10–15, 13–15 Bronze Bronze

European Championships[edit]

Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
1972 Karlskrona, Sweden Denmark Klaus Kaagaard 13–18, 15–8, 7–15 Bronze Bronze
1974 Vienna, Austria Sweden Sture Johnsson 15–4, 6–15, 8–15 Bronze Bronze
1976 Dublin, Ireland Denmark Elo Hansen 15–4, 15–7 Gold Gold
1978 Preston, England Sweden Thomas Kihlström 10–15, 15–6, 15–12 Gold Gold
1980 Groningen, Netherlands Denmark Morten Frost 15–4, 1–15, 17–14 Gold Gold

International tournaments[edit]

Men's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
1973 Denmark Open Indonesia Rudy Hartono 14–17, 12–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1973 India Open Denmark Svend Pri 8–15, 7–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1974 Portugal International Denmark Elo Hansen 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1975 Dutch Open Sweden Sture Johnsson 14–15, 15–0, 15–10 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1975 German Open England Paul Whetnall 15–10, 15–12 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1975 Jamaica International Canada Jamie Paulson 15–6, 15–2 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1976 Denmark Open Denmark Svend Pri 15–9, 5–15, 10–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1976 Dutch Open 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1976 German Open England Paul Whetnall 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1977 Swedish Open Indonesia Liem Swie King 4–15, 8–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1977 Canada Open Sweden Thomas Kihlström 12–15, 15–7, 15–10 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1977 All England Indonesia Liem Swie King 15–17, 15–11, 15–8 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1977 Denmark Open Denmark Svend Pri 15–12, 15–7 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1977 Japan Open Sweden Thomas Kihlström 15–9, 13–15, 10–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1978 Swedish Open Denmark Svend Pri 3–15, 8–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1978 Dutch Open Denmark Svend Pri 15–3, 3–15, 15–7 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1978 Canada Open Sweden Thomas Kihlström 14–17, 15–11, 18–16 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1979 Swedish Open England Ray Stevens 15–7, 15–0 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1979 Dutch Open Denmark Morten Frost 15–6, 3–15, 17–15 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1979 Denmark Open Denmark Morten Frost 15–7, 15–7 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1979 All England Indonesia Liem Swie King 7–15, 8–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1979 Canada Open Denmark Morten Frost 7–15, 17–14, 7–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1980 Chinese Taipei Open Indonesia Iie Sumirat 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1980 Victor Cup Sweden Thomas Kihlström 7–15, 10–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1982 Scottish Open Denmark Morten Frost 4–15, 2–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up

Men's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1974 Portugal International Denmark Elo Hansen England David Hunt
England William Kidd
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1975 Jamaica International Denmark Elo Hansen England Mike Tredgett
England Ray Stevens
15–13, 4–15, 11–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1976 Swedish Open Denmark Elo Hansen 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1976 Dutch Open Denmark Elo Hansen 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1976 Denmark Open Denmark Elo Hansen England David Eddy
England Eddy Sutton
13–15, 11–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1977 Japan Open Denmark Steen Skovgaard Japan Nobutaka Ikeda
Japan Shoichi Toganoo
15–9, 15–2 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1977 Denmark Open Denmark Steen Skovgaard Sweden Thomas Kihlström
Sweden Bengt Fröman
6–15, 8–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1978 Denmark Open Denmark Steen Skovgaard Indonesia Christian Hadinata
Indonesia Ade Chandra
15–6, 15–11 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1978 Canada Open Denmark Steen Skovgaard Sweden Thomas Kihlström
Sweden Bengt Fröman
15–9, 10–15, retired 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1978 Swedish Open Denmark Steen Skovgaard Sweden Thomas Kihlström
Sweden Bengt Fröman
15–18, 15–9, 15–8 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1979 Canada Open Denmark Morten Frost Indonesia Christian Hadinata
Indonesia Ade Chandra
5–15, 1–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1979 Swedish Open Denmark Steen Skovgaard Denmark Steen Fladberg
Denmark Morten Frost
15–12, 12–15, 15–10 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1980 Copenhagen Cup Denmark Steen Skovgaard Denmark Steen Fladberg
Denmark Morten Frost
1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1980 Denmark Open Denmark Steen Skovgaard Indonesia Christian Hadinata
Indonesia Ade Chandra
15–10, 10–15, 15–10 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
1980 Chinese Taipei Open Denmark Steen Skovgaard Indonesia Hadibowo Susanto
Indonesia Bobby Ertanto
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1980 Victor Cup Denmark Steen Skovgaard Sweden Thomas Kihlström
Sweden Claes Nordin
5–15, 17–18 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
1981 Japan Open India Prakash Padukone Indonesia Christian Hadinata
Indonesia Lius Pongoh
4–15, 5–15 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1973 Mexico International United States Carlene Starkey Canada G. Harris
United States Madalene Steinbroner
15–12, 15–1 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner

References[edit]

  1. ^ Mohapatra, Bikash (07 September 2021). "Happy 70th...To A Forgotten Champion From The 1970s", [Badminton Bladet.DK].
  2. ^ Pat Davis, The Guinness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England: Guinness Superlatives Ltd., 1983) 109.
  3. ^ Davis, 149
  4. ^ Davis, 115.
  5. ^ Davis 125-128.
  6. ^ Davis, 149.

External links[edit]