Sara Sankey

Sara Sankey (née Halsall, born 29 September 1967)^[2] is a retired English badminton player.

Sara Sankey (née Halsall)
Personal information
Birth name	Sara Halsall[1]
Country	England
Born	(1967-09-29) 29 September 1967 (age 57) Southport, England
Height	170 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Weight	68 kg (150 lb)
Event	Women's & Mixed doubles
Medal record Women's badminton Representing  England World Cup 1992 Guangzhou Women's doubles Commonwealth Games 1990 Auckland Women's doubles 1990 Auckland Mixed team 1998 Kuala Lumpur Women's team 1990 Auckland Mixed doubles 2002 Manchester Mixed doubles European Championships 1986 Uppsala Mixed team 2002 Malmö Mixed team 1986 Uppsala Women's doubles 1992 Glasgow Women's doubles 2002 Malmö Women's doubles 1992 Glasgow Mixed team European Junior Championships 1985 Pressbaum Girls' doubles 1985 Pressbaum Mixed team

Badminton career

In 1990, Sankey represented England^[3] when she attended the Commonwealth Games where she won gold medals in the mixed team event^[4] and with Fiona Smith in the women's doubles event.^[5] She also won a silver medal with Miles Johnson in the mixed doubles.^[6] She went on to win a gold medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in the women's team event^[7] and a bronze medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games with Anthony Clark in the mixed doubles event.^[8][9]

Sankey represented Great Britain at the 1992 Olympics in the Women's Doubles event with Gillian Gowers.^[1]

She retired from playing badminton internationally in 2002 and began coaching with All Stars Elite Badminton Club.^[10]

Achievements

World Cup

Women's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1992	Guangdong Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China	Gillian Gowers	Lin Yanfen Yao Fen	0–15, 3–15	Silver

Commonwealth Games

Women's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1990	Auckland Badminton Hall, Auckland, New Zealand	Fiona Smith	Gillian Clark Gillian Gowers	18–14, 2–15, 15–9	Gold

Mixed doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1990	Auckland Badminton Hall, Auckland, New Zealand	Miles Johnson	Chan Chi Choi Amy Chan	7–15, 12–15	Silver
2002	Bolton Arena, Manchester, England	Anthony Clark	Chew Choon Eng Chin Eei Hui	7–4, 7–3, 4–7, 4–7, 0–7	Bronze

European Championships

Women's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1986	Fyrishallen, Uppsala, Sweden	Karen Beckman	Dorte Kjær Nettie Nielsen	8–15, 4–15	Bronze
1992	Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland	Gillian Gowers	Lim Xiaoqing Christine Magnusson	5–15, 15–17	Bronze
2002	Baltiska Hallen, Malmö, Sweden	Ella Tripp	Ann-Lou Jørgensen Jane F. Bramsen	7–2, 4–7, 0–7, 0–7	Bronze

European Junior Championships

Girls' doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1985	Sacré Coeur Cloister Hall, Pressbaum, Austria	Debbie Hore	Lotte Olsen Lisbet Stuer-Lauridsen	11–15, 15–9, 7–15	Silver

IBF World Grand Prix (7 titles, 5 runners-up)

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

Women's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1985	English Masters	Karen Beckman	Gillian Clark Gillian Gowers	15–11, 15–5	Winner
1987	Dutch Open	Gillian Clark	Maria Bengtsson Christine Magnusson	10–15, 4–15	Runner-up
1987	Carlton-Intersport Cup	Fiona Smith	Johanne Falardeau Denyse Julien	7–15, 15–6, 15–2	Winner
1987	Scottish Open	Fiona Smith	Gillian Gowers Helen Troke	15–11, 3–15, 12–15	Runner-up
1988	Dutch Open	Gillian Clark	Dorte Kjær Nettie Nielsen	9–15, 15–9, 15–6	Winner
1988	English Masters	Gillian Clark	Lin Ying Guan Weizhen	6–15, 8–15	Runner-up
1988	Scottish Open	Gillian Clark	Dorte Kjær Gitte Paulsen	walkover	Winner
1989	Poona Open	Gillian Clark	Maria Bengtsson Christine Magnusson	4–15, 15–13, 4–15	Runner-up
1989	Scottish Open	Karen Chapman	Gillian Clark Gillian Gowers	10–15, 6–15	Runner-up
1991	Canada Open	Gillian Gowers	Kang Bok-seung Shim Eun-jung	12–15, 15–12, 17–15	Winner
1991	Dutch Open	Gillian Gowers	Catrine Bengtsson Maria Bengtsson	15–9, 18–16	Winner

Mixed doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1992	Dutch Open	Dave Wright	Christian Jakobsen Marianne Rasmussen	5–15, 15–8, 15–12	Winner

IBF International (19 titles, 3 runners-up)

Women's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1985	Welsh International	Karen Beckman	Hanne Adsbøl Nettie Nielsen	15–7, 15–12	Winner
1985	Bell's Open	Karen Beckman	Lisa Chapman Fiona Elliot	15–9, 15–6	Winner
1986	Welsh International	Karen Beckman	Lisa Chapman Cheryl Cooke	15–10, 15–12	Winner
1986	Bell's Open	Karen Beckman	Fiona Elliot Helen Troke	15–0, 15–9	Winner
1987	Bell's Open	Fiona Elliot	Johanne Falardeau Denyse Julien	15–9, 15–10	Winner
1987	Irish Open	Karen Beckman	Elinor Allen Jennifer Allen	15–6, 15–4	Winner
1988	Bell's Open	Karen Beckman	Denyse Julien Claire Backhouse-Sharpe	12–15, 10–15	Runner-up
1989	Bell's Open	Karen Chapman	Elinor Allen Jennifer Allen	18–15, 10–15, 15–4	Winner
1989	Welsh International	Karen Chapman	Elena Rybkina Vlada Tcherniavskaia	15–12, 7–15, 15–2	Winner
1991	Wimbledon International	Gillian Gowers	Julie Bradbury Gillian Clark	15–5, 10–15, 5–15	Runner-up
1992	Welsh International	Julie Bradbury	Anne-Katrin Seid Nicole Baldewein	15–8, 15–1	Winner
1997	Welsh International	Ella Tripp	Lorraine Cole Joanne Wright	15–5, 15–3	Winner
1997	Scottish Open	Ella Tripp	Elinor Middlemiss Sandra Watt	15–13, 15–12	Winner
1997	French Open	Ella Tripp	Etty Tantri Cynthia Tuwankotta	17–14, 3–15, 7–15	Runner-up
1999	Portugal International	Ella Tripp	Nicole Grether Karen Neumann	15–12, 15–12	Winner
2000	Welsh International	Ella Tripp	Gail Emms Joanne Wright	8–6, 7–4, 6–8 undisclosed	Winner
2001	Portugal International	Ella Tripp	Nicole Grether Nicol Pitro	17–15, 13–15, 15–9	Winner
2001	Welsh International	Ella Tripp	Liza Parker Suzanne Rayappan	7–5, 6–8, 7–4, 7–4	Winner

Mixed doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1985	Bell's Open	Mike Brown	Richard Outterside Wendy Poulton	17–15, 15–6	Winner
1987	Bell's Open	Mike Brown	Andy Goode Fiona Elliot	15–9, 15–11	Winner
1992	Wimbledon International	Dave Wright	Simon Archer Joanne Davies	5–15, 15–12, 15–11	Winner
1997	Welsh International	James Anderson	Ian Sullivan Gail Emms	15–6, 17–14	Winner