Flemming Delfs

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.

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

Career

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

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

Achievements

World Championships

Men's singles

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

Men's doubles

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

World Cup

Men's singles

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

European Championships

Men's singles

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

International tournaments

Men's singles

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

Men's doubles

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

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1973 Mexico International Carlene Starkey G. Harris
Madalene Steinbroner
15–12, 15–1 Winner

References

  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.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.