Darren James Hall (born 25 October 1965) is an English retired badminton player who is generally rated as one of the best men's singles players that England has produced and holds the record of 10 National singles titles.
Career Hall won a record ten English national singles titles from 1986 until 1999. During the 1993 championships he broke the existing record of five, set in 1981 by his cousin Ray Stevens.
He is the only Englishman since the 1930s to win the prestigious Danish Open (1992) in the men's singles. He won the singles gold medal at the 1988 European Badminton Championships, defeating Morten Frost in the final.
Hall represented England in a demonstration of badminton at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. He then competed in 1992 Summer Olympics in the men's singles. He lost in the second round to Zhao Jianhua, of China, 6–15, 9–15. In 1996, he played in the singles and doubles event. In the singles, he lost to Lee Gwang-jin of South Korea in the second round, 7–15, 11–15, and in the doubles event with Peter Knowles, they were defeated by Chinese pair Ge Cheng and Tao Xiaoqiang, 2–15, 3–15.
Hall competed at the Commonwealth Games in 1990 and 1998, and has collected a gold and three bronze medals.
Achievements
World Cup Men's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1996 Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia Jeffer Rosobin 15–9, 14–17, 9–14 Bronze
Commonwealth Games Men's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1990 Auckland Badminton Hall, Auckland, New Zealand Steve Baddeley Walkover Bronze 1998 Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Yong Hock Kin 7–15, 1–15 Bronze
European Championships Men's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1988 Badmintonsenteret, Kristiansand, Norway Morten Frost 8–15, 15–12, 15–9 Gold 1990 Minor Arena of the Central Lenin Stadium, Moscow, Soviet Union Steve Baddeley 15–11, 3–15, 7–15 Silver
European Junior Championships Boys' doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1983 Helsinkian Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland Stuart Spurling Karsten Schultz Claus Thomsen 14–17, 8–15 Bronze
IBF World Grand Prix The World Badminton Grand Prix was sanctioned by the International Badminton Federation from 1983 to 2006.
Men's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1987 Dutch Open Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen 4–15, 1–15 Runner-up 1987 German Open Ib Frederiksen 17–16, 4–15, 15–6 Winner 1987 Hong Kong Open Xiong Guobao 15–6, 4–15, 10–15 Runner-up 1987 Denmark Open Torben Carlsen 7–15, 4–15 Runner-up 1991 Scottish Open Jens Olsson 11–15, 15–9, 15–1 Winner 1992 Denmark Open Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen 15–11, 18–13 Winner
IBF International Men's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1984 Welsh International Morten Frost 2–15, 6–15 Runner-up 1984 Victor Cup Lius Pongoh 6–15, 2–15 Runner-up 1985 Welsh International Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen 18–16, 15–5 Winner 1986 Welsh International Anders Nielsen 15–11, 15–1 Winner 1988 Welsh International Chris Rees 15–5, 5–1 retired Winner 1992 Wimbledon Open Anders Nielsen 15–8, 15–12 Winner 1993 Welsh International Peter Knowles 14–17, 15–6, 15–5 Winner 1993 Irish International Tomas Johansson Walkover Winner 1997 Irish International Daniel Eriksson 15–12, 15–4 Winner 1998 Portugal International Niels Christian Kaldau 16–18, 9–15 Runner-up 1998 Scottish International Pontus Jäntti 13–15, 8–15 Runner-up 1998 Irish International Mark Constable 15–7, 15–11 Winner 1999 Irish International Peter Knowles 9–15, 4–15 Runner-up
Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1982 Portugal International Ray Stevens Billy Gilliland Dan Travers 15–13, 15–8 Winner
References
External links