Dan Travers

For the Caymanian Alpine Ski racer, see Dean Travers.

Dan Travers
Personal information
NationalityBritish (Scottish)
Born (1956-06-16) 16 June 1956
Scotland
Spouse
Aileen Travers
Sport
SportBadminton
HandednessRight
Doubles
Highest ranking2 (with Billy Gilliland) (1982)
BWF profile
Medal record
Men's badminton
Representing  Great Britain
World Games
1981 Santa Clara Men's doubles
Representing  Scotland
World Senior Championships
2025 Pattaya Mixed doubles 65+
Commonwealth Games
1986 Edinburgh Men's doubles
European Championships
1984 Preston Men's doubles

Daniel Travers (born 16 June 1956) is a former badminton player and national coach for Scotland, who competed at the 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, 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, Travers was denied an almost certain team bronze medal when teammate 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 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.[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". bwfbadminton.com. Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Daniel "Dan" Travers". universitystory.gla.ac.uk. 18 June 2014. Archived from the original on 30 April 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  3. ^ Egelstaff, Susan (30 April 2014). "Meeting two men who took gold at our last home Games". www.heraldscotland.com. The Herald. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Tragic injury deprives Scots of a medal". Dundee Courier. 28 July 1986. p. 11. Retrieved 19 January 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ Burnside, Elspeth (10 December 1986). "Travers in with treble chance". Glasgow Herald. p. 22. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  6. ^ "Perth's Dan Travers reflects on World Senior Championships victory". www.dailyrecord.co.uk. Perthshire Advertiser. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Travers to look after future of badminton". Dundee Courier. 29 February 1996. p. 20. Retrieved 14 January 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Travers seeks different future". www.heraldscotland.com. Herald Scotland. 8 March 1995. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Amazing Thailand-Pattaya BWF World Senior Championships 2025". bwfbadminton. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dan Travers.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.