Karen Bridge

"Karen Beckman" redirects here. For the professor, see Karen Redrobe.

Karen Beckman née Bridge (March 1960 – June 2020) was a female badminton player of England.

Karen Bridge
Personal information
Nickname(s)	Duchess[1]
Country	England
Born	27 March 1960 Surrey, England
Died	19 June 2020(2020-06-19) (aged 60) Surrey, England
Medal record Women's badminton Representing  England World Championships 1980 Jakarta Women's doubles Uber Cup 1984 Kuala Lumpur Women's team Commonwealth Games 1978 Edmonton Mixed team 1982 Brisbane Mixed team 1982 Brisbane Women's doubles 1982 Brisbane Mixed doubles European Championships 1982 Böblingen Mixed team 1984 Preston Mixed team 1982 Böblingen Women's singles 1984 Preston Women's doubles 1986 Uppsala Mixed team 1984 Preston Women's singles 1986 Uppsala Women's doubles European Junior Championships 1977 Ta' Qali Girls' singles 1977 Ta' Qali Girls' doubles 1977 Ta' Qali Mixed team 1977 Ta' Qali Mixed doubles 1975 Copenhagen Mixed team 1975 Copenhagen Girls' doubles

Career

She won a bronze medals at the 1980 IBF World Championships in women's doubles with Barbara Sutton.

She represented England and won a gold medal in the team event, at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. In addition she reached the quarter-finals of the doubles and mixed doubles.^[2][3]

Four years later, as Karen Beckman she represented England and won a gold medal in the team event and two silver medals in the women's doubles and mixed doubles, at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.^[4][5] The mixed doubles medal was with her brother, Duncan Bridge.

Personal life

She was a coach for the Wilson Boys' School's badminton team and a part-time coach for the Wimbledon Racquets and Fitness Club's junior badminton team towards the end of her life.

She has a son, Ben Beckman, who has also successfully played badminton for England.

Beckman died of cancer in June 2020.^[1][6]

Achievements

World Championships

Women's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1980	Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia	Barbara Sutton	Verawaty Fadjrin Imelda Wiguna	15–12, 10–15, 4–15	Bronze

Commonwealth Games

Women's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1982	Chandler Sports Hall, Brisbane, Australia	Gillian Clark	Claire Backhouse-Sharpe Johanne Falardeau	15–13, 16–18, 4–15	Silver

Mixed doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1982	Chandler Sports Hall, Brisbane, Australia	Duncan Bridge	Martin Dew Karen Chapman	13–18, 3–15	Silver

European Championships

Women's singles

Year	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result
1982	Sporthalle, Böblingen, West Germany	Lene Køppen	1–11, 9–11	Silver
1984	Guild Hall, Preston, England	Helen Troke	8–11, 7–11	Bronze

Women's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1984	Guild Hall, Preston, England	Gillian Gilks	Karen Chapman Gillian Clark	17–15, 12–15, 2–15	Silver
1986	Fyrishallen, Uppsala, Sweden	Sara Halsall	Dorte Kjær Nettie Nielsen	8–15, 4–15	Bronze

European Junior Championships

Girls' singles

Year	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result
1977	RAF Ta Kali hangar, Ta'Qali, Malta	Kirsten Meier	11–8, 11–3	Gold

Girls' doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1975	Gladsaxe Sportscenter, Copenhagen, Denmark	Paula Kilvington	Inge Borgstrom Pia Nielsen	15–7, 5–15, 5–15	Bronze
1977	RAF Ta Kali hangar, Ta'Qali, Malta	Karen Puttick	Pamela Hamilton Joy Reid	17–15, 15–8	Gold

Mixed doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1977	RAF Ta Kali hangar, Ta'Qali, Malta	Kevin Jolly	Nigel Tier Karen Puttick	walkover	Silver

IBF Grand Prix

The World Badminton Grand Prix was sanctioned by the International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983-2006.

Women's singles

Year	Tournament	Opponent	Score	Result
1984	German Open	Helen Troke	9–12, 12–10, 11–6	Winner

Women's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1983	Canadian Open	Sally Podger	Claire Backhouse-Sharpe Johanne Falardeau	18–14, 10–15, 15–4	Winner
1984	Dutch Open	Gillian Gilks	Dorte Kjær Kirsten Larsen	15–12, 15–10	Winner
1984	German Open	Gillian Gilks	Karen Chapman Gillian Clark	17–14, 18–14	Winner
1984	Japan Open	Gillian Gilks	Ruth Damayanti Maria Fransisca	13–15, 15–3, 15–12	Winner
1984	Thailand Open	Gillian Gilks	Gillian Gowers Helen Troke	18–16, 17–18, 15–9	Winner
1984	Chinese Taipei Open	Gillian Gilks	Ruth Damayanti Maria Fransisca	15–12, 9–15, 17–14	Winner
1985	German Open	Gillian Gilks	Guan Weizhen Wu Jianqiu	9–15, 15–6, 9–15	Runner-up
1985	Chinese Taipei Open	Gillian Gilks	Gillian Clark Nora Perry	15–10, 14–17, 0–15	Runner-up
1985	English Masters	Sara Sankey	Gillian Clark Gillian Gowers	15–11, 15–5	Winner

IBF International

Women's singles

Year	Tournament	Opponent	Score	Result
1977	Portugal International			Winner
1981	Victor Cup	Jane Webster	11–1, 4–11, 11–4	Runner-up
1983	Welsh International	Fiona Elliott	11–3, 11–3	Winner
1983	Bell's Open	Pamela Hamilton	11–5, 12–9	Winner
1985	Bell's Open	Fiona Elliott	11–5, 11–4	Winner

Women's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1977	Portugal International	Anne Statt			Winner
1980	Scottish Open	Paula Kilvington	Kathleen Redhead Karen Chapman	15–10, 15–5	Winner
1981	Victor Cup	Barbara Sutton	Jane Webster Nora Perry	12–15, 15–11, 6–15	Runner-up
1983	Scottish Open	Barbara Sutton	Karen Chapman Sally Podger	15–12, 15–6	Winner
1983	Bell's Open	Barbara Sutton	Barbara Beckett Alison Fulton	15–12, 15–9	Winner
1984	Scottish Open	Pamela Hamilton	Karen Chapman Jane Webster	18–14, 13–18, 6–15	Runner-up
1984	Bell's Open	Sally Podger	Gillian Gowers Helen Troke	6–15, 15–3, 14–18	Runner-up
1985	Welsh International	Sara Sankey	Hanne Adsbøl Nettie Nielsen	15–7, 15–12	Winner
1985	Bell's Open	Sara Sankey	Lisa Chapman Fiona Elliot	15–9, 15–6	Winner
1986	Welsh International	Sara Sankey	Lisa Chapman Cheryl Cooke	15–10, 15–12	Winner
1986	Bell's Open	Sara Sankey	Fiona Elliot Helen Troke	15–0, 15–9	Winner
1987	Irish Open	Sara Sankey	Elinor Allen Jennifer Allen	15–6, 15–4	Winner
1988	Bell's Open	Sara Sankey	Denyse Julien Claire Backhouse-Sharpe	12–15, 10–15	Runner-up

Mixed doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1977	Portugal International	Tim Stokes			Winner
1983	Holland Masters	Mike Tredgett	Martin Dew Gillian Gilks	4–15, 10–15	Runner-up
1983	Bell's Open	Duncan Bridge	Eddy Sutton Alison Fulton	15–8, 15–12	Winner
1984	Scottish Open	Dipak Tailor	Billy Gilliland Karen Chapman	3–15, 6–15	Runner-up
1984	Bell's Open	Billy Gilliland	Nigel Tier Gillian Gowers	17–16, 15–13	Winner
1986	Welsh International	Chris Dobson	Martin Dew Gillian Gilks	1–15, 0–15	Runner-up
1987	Irish Open	Mike Tredgett	Billy Gilliland Jennifer Allen	15–7, 8–15, 15–11	Winner
1989	Bell's Open	Andy Goode	Miles Johnson Cheryl Johnson	15–5, 15–8	Winner