Scott Evans (badminton)


Scott Evans is a former Irish professional badminton player. As of 2017 he was the highest ranked Irish player.
Evans has represented Ireland at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympic Games. He became the first Irishman to win a badminton match at the Olympic during his last participation in 2016. He won the Irish National Badminton Championships in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
He attended Wesley College Dublin.

Career

Evans has played two-time Olympic gold medalist China's Lin Dan and world No. 1 Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei 3 times each. At the 2011 BWF World Championships, Evans met the second seed and eventual champion Lin Dan in the second round and came out with a 15-21, 16-21 loss. Nearly one year later at the 2012 London Olympics, Evans again met the eventual winner Lin Dan of China in the first round and was defeated 8-21, 14-21. At the 2013 BWF World Championships, Evans lost to top seed and eventual silver medalist Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia in the first round with a score of 14-21, 15-21.

2016 Summer Olympics

Evans qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics in the men's singles category. In the group stage, he was put with Germany's Marc Zwiebler and host Brazil's Ygor Coelho de Oliveira. He became the first Irishman to win a badminton game at an Olympics as he beat Zwiebler 9–21, 21–17, 21–7. Evans then won the second match against Ygor Coelho de Oliveira 21–8, 19–21, 21–8. The result means Evans would be qualified for the Round of 16, which he would then face Denmark's Viktor Axelsen. Evans lost to Axelsen 16-21, 12-21 in the round of 16.

Titles

Highlights