The badminton events of World Games I were held on July 25–28, 1981, at the San Jose Civic Auditorium in San Jose, California, in the United States. These were the first World Games, an international quadrennial multi-sport event, and were hosted by the city of Santa Clara. China, in its first summer multi-sport event since the 1936 Summer Olympics, competed in badminton only, winning four of the five gold medals. Seventeen of the countries at these Games participated in badminton, making it one of the most represented sports. The players executive of the International Badminton Federation, Ciro Ciniglio, expressed disappointment at the lack of media coverage of badminton, saying, "We have many world champions competing here and... were hoping all these great players would draw crowds.... The United States over the years has had very good players, some of the finest. It was our hope to help the sport gain popularity in the United states by showcasing all this fine talent."
Medalists
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Details
Men
Singles
First round Liem Swie King, bye; S. Egbeyemi def. K. Zeniya, 15-1, 15-4; S. Modi won by default over J. Sidek ; R. Stevens def. A. Salazar, 15-4, 15-7; Morten Frost Hansen def. P. Johnson, 15-3, 15-4; G. Valdez won by default over M. Sidek ; Stephen Baddeley def. G. Higgins 15-7, 15-8; M. Hadiyanto won by default over J. P. Baudoin Second round M. Hadiyanto d. Stephen Baddeley ; plus other matches Quarterfinals 1. Liem Swie King d. Ray Stevens, 15-3, 15-7 2. M. Frost Hansen d. Hadiyanto, 15-10, 15-6 3. Chen Changjie d. K. Jolly, 18-14, 15-8 4. Prakash Padukone d. Pat Tryon, 15-5, 15-3 Semi-finals 1. Hansen d. King, 18-14, 11-15, 15-6 2. Chen d. Padukone, 18-14, 18-16 Final Chen d. Frost Hansen, 9-15, 15-7, 15-12. Bronze medals: King, Padukone
Doubles
First and second rounds Sun Zhian/Yao Ximing d. Delfs/Steen Skovgaard ; plus other matches Quarterfinals 1. Hariamanto Kartono/Rudy Heryanto d. Kevin Jolly/Stephen Baddeley, 15-9, 15-10 2. Sun Zhian/Yao Ximing d. Christian Hadinata/Chandra, 17-14, 2-15, 15-12 3. Thomas Kihlstrom/Stafan Karlsson d. Stevens/Mike Tredgett, 15-12, 15-10 4. William Gilliland/Daniel Travers d. Egbeyemi/Badiru, 15-6, 15-6 Semi-finals 1. Sun Zhian/Yao Ximing d. Kartono/Heryanto, 3-15, 15-11, 15-8 2. Kihlstrom/Karlsson d. Gilliland/Travers, 10-15, 15-0, 15-9 Final Sun Zhian/Yao Ximing d. Kihlstrom/Karlsson, 12-15, 15-4, 15-6. Bronze medals: Kartono/Heryanto, Gilliland/Travers
Women
Singles
First round Jane Webster d. U. Kinard, 11-7, 11-6; A. Tokuda ' won by default over J. Youngberg ; Yun Ja Kim won by default over L. I. Ivana ; C. Carton, d. C. Blackhouse, 11-7, 11-12, 11-7; Y. Yonekura won by default over A. Ghia Second round Sun Ai Hwang d. G. Edwards, 11-0, 11-1; L. Blumer won by default over W. Carter ; L. S. Yeng won by default over V. Wiharjo ; Tookairin d. Webster, 11-7, 11-6; Kim d. Carton, 12-11, 11-1; Lene Koppen,, d. Yonekura, 11-3, 11-3; Gillian Gilks, won by default over T. Sumirah ; Zhang Ailing, won by default over S. Skillings. Quarterfinals 1. Sun Ai Hwang d. L. Blumer, 11-3, 11-3 2. Fumiko Tookairin d. Liu Xia, 11-7, 11-6 3. L. Koppen d. Kim, 11-4, 11-12, 11-9 4. Zhang Ailing d. Gillian Gilks, 11-1, 11-12, 11-0 Semi-finals 1. Hwang d. Tookairin, 11-1, 11-2 2. Zhang Ailing d. Koppen, 11-4, 11-1 Final''' Zhang Ailing d. Hwang, 9-11, 11-9, 12-9. Bronze medals: Tookairin, Koppen
Doubles
Quarterfinals 1. Nora Perry/Jane Webster d. Toutz/Kelly, 15-4, 15-4 2. Sun Ai Hwang/Yun Ja Kim d. Y. Yonekura/Imelda Wigoeno 15-4, 14-18, 15-4 3. Fumiko Tookairin/Sonoe Otsuka d. W. Carter/S. Skillings, walkover 4. Zhang Ailing/Liu Xia d. Edwards/Edoga, walkover Semi-finals 1. Perry/Webster d. Hwang/Kim, 8-15, 17-14, 15-10 2. Zhang Ailing/Liu Xia d. Tookairin/Otsuka, 15-4, 15-5 Final Zhang Ailing/Liu Xia d. Perry/Webster, 11-15, 15-4, 15-8. Bronze medals: Hwang/Kim, Tookairin/Otsuka
Mixed
Doubles
Quarterfinals Thomas Kihlstrom/Gillian Gilks d. William Gilliland/Chapman ; plus other matches Semi-finals 1. Mike Tredgett/Nora Perry d. Steen Skovgaard/Lene Koppen, 11-15, 15-4, 15-8 2. Thomas Kihlstrom/Gillian Gilks d. Christian Hadinata/Imelda Wiguno, 15-8, 15-8 Final Kihlstrom/Gilks d. Tredgett/Perry, 15-6, 18-14. Bronze medals: Hadinata/Wiguno, Skovgaard/Koppen
