Dan Travers

For the Caymanian Alpine Ski racer, see Dean Travers.

Dan Travers

Personal information
Nationality	British (Scottish)
Born	(1956-06-16) 16 June 1956 (age 69) Scotland
Spouse	Aileen Travers
Sport
Sport	Badminton
Handedness	Right
Doubles
Highest ranking	2 (with Billy Gilliland) (1982)
BWF profile
Medal record Men's badminton Representing   Great Britain World Games 1981 Santa Clara Men's doubles Representing   Scotland World Senior Championships 2025 Pattaya Mixed doubles 65+ Commonwealth Games 1986 Edinburgh Men's doubles European Championships 1984 Preston Men's doubles

Daniel Travers (born 16 June 1956) is a former badminton player and national coach fro Scotland, who competed at the Commonwealth Games and won a medal at the European Championships. ^{[1] [2]}

Biography

Travers was a bronze medalist at the 1981 World Games, losing out to Swedish pair in semifinals. Travers competed in three commonwealth games in 1978, 1986 & 1990. He was Commonwealth games champion of 1986 in men's doubles with Billy Gilliland, first ever player(s) in history of Scottish badminton to be a gold medalist. Until now, they remain only gold medalist from their country in badminton. They also reached career high of World no. 2 after their display at the All England in 1982. ^[3]

At the 1986 Commonwealth Games, Travers was denied an almost certain team bronze medal when teammate Alison Fulton was carried off the court during the third match with Scotland leading Australia 2–0 at the time. ^[4] Also in 1986, along with Billy Gilliland, they were awarded with BBC Scotland Sportsperson of the year. ^[5]

He became National coach of Scotland in 1997 and later president of Badminton Scotland and has coached players at many Commonwealth games & other championships, even playing competitive sport himself at the senior level. He is a numerous time European Senior Champion and World Senior Champion as well. ^[6]

Travers married fellow Scottish international Aileen Nairn. ^{[7] [8]}

Achievements

World Games

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1981	San Jose Civic Auditorium, California, United States	Billy Gilliland	Thomas Kihlström Stefan Karlsson	15–10, 0–15, 9–15	Bronze

World Senior Championships

Mixed doubles

Year	Age	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result	Ref
2025	65+	Eastern National Sports Training Centre, Pattaya, Thailand	Christine Black	Birger Steenberg Maria Brzeznicka	21–14, 18–21, 21–15	Gold	[9]

Commonwealth Games

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1986	Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland	Billy Gilliland	Andy Goode Nigel Tier	15–8, 15–5	Gold

European Championships

Men's doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1984	Guild Hall, Preston, England	Billy Gilliland	Morten Frost Jens Peter Nierhoff	13–15, 14–18	Bronze

IBF World Grand Prix

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

Men's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1984	Canada Open	Billy Gilliland	Razif Sidek Jalani Sidek	11–15, 9–15	Runner-up
1985	Canada Open	Billy Gilliland	Jens Peter Nierhoff Henrik Svarrer	12–15, 11–15	Runner-up
1985	Scottish Open	Billy Gilliland	Michael Kjeldsen Mark Christiansen	2–15, 4–15	Runner-up
1986	Dutch Open	Billy Gilliland	He Xiangyang Tang Hai	13–18, 9–15	Runner-up
1986	Scottish Open	Billy Gilliland	Jesper Knudsen Henrik Svarrer	10–15, 10–15	Runner-up

Open tournaments

Men's singles

Year	Tournament	Opponent	Score	Result
1980	Irish Open	Bill Thompson	–, –	Winner

Men's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1980	Irish Open	Gordon Hamilton	Frazer Evans Brian McKee	–, –	Winner
1980	Welsh Open	Billy Gilliland	Ray Stevens Mike Tredgett	15–7, 11–15, 6–15	Runner-up
1980	Bells Open	Billy Gilliland	Ray Stevens Steve Baddeley	9–15, 9–15	Runner-up
1981	Bells Open	Billy Gilliland	Duncan Bridge Martin Dew	18–17, 15–12	Winner
1981	Dutch Open	Billy Gilliland	Andy Goode Mike Tredgett	15–5, 15–8	Winner
1982	Victor Cup	Billy Gilliland	Martin Dew Mike Tredgett	3–15, 2–15	Runner-up
1982	Scottish Open	Billy Gilliland	Donald Burden Mark Elliott	15–10, 15–10	Winner
1982	Canada Open	Billy Gilliland	Lars Wengberg Torbjörn Petersson	5–15, 13–15	Runner-up
1982	All England Open	Billy Gilliland	Jalani Sidek Razif Sidek	15–8, 9–15, 10–15	Runner-up
1982	Irish Open	Billy Gilliland	Ed Romejin Bas von Barnau Sijthoff	15–7, 15–8	Winner
1982	Portugal Open	Billy Gilliland	Darren Hall Ray Stevens	13–15, 8–15	Runner-up
1982	Dutch Open	Billy Gilliland	Martin Dew Mike Tredgett	15–11, 5–15, 15–17	Runner-up

Mixed doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1980	Irish Open	Christine Heatly	Frazer Evans Diane Underwood	–, –	Runner-up

IBF International

Men's singles

Year	Tournament	Opponent	Score	Result
1985	Bells Open	Glen Milton	9–15, 4–15	Runner-up
1986	Irish International	Alex White	10–15, 14–15	Runner-up

Men's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1983	Irish International	Billy Gilliland	Barry Coffey John McArdle	15–2, 15–4	Winner
1983	Scottish International	Billy Gilliland	Gerry Asquith Andy Goode	15–6, 15–7	Winner
1984	Bells Open	Billy Gilliland	Bobby Ertanto Hafid Yusuf	15–8, 15–5	Winner
1984	Welsh International	Billy Gilliland	Martin Dew Morten Frost	15–8, 18–15	Winner
1985	Irish International	Billy Gilliland	Mark Elliott Gary Scott	15–3, 18–14	Winner
1985	Bells Open	Billy Gilliland	Mike Brown Richard Outterside	15–7, 15–7	Winner
1986	Bells Open	Billy Gilliland	Andy Goode Miles Johnson	15–12, 18–14	Winner
1986	Irish International	Alex White	Miles Johnson Andy Salvidge	18–15, 15–8	Winner
1987	Irish International	Billy Gilliland	Iain Pringle Alex White	9–15, 15–12, 16–18	Runner-up
1988	Irish International	Anthony Gallagher	Iain Pringle Alex White	7–15, 8–15	Runner-up
1989	Irish International	Kenny Middlemiss	Anthony Gallagher Russell Hogg	15–6, 15–6	Winner

Mixed doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result
1983	Irish International	Pamela Hamilton	Billy Gilliland Christine Heatly	5–15, 12–15	Runner-up
1985	Irish International	Pamela Hamilton	Billy Gilliland Elinor Allen	16–17, 13–15	Runner-up
1986	Irish International	Morag McKay	Miles Johnson Caroline Gay	15–10, 15–7	Winner

References

1. "Profile:Dan Travers". bwfbadminton.com. Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
2. "Daniel "Dan" Travers". universitystory.gla.ac.uk. 18 June 2014. Archived from the original on 30 April 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
3. Egelstaff, Susan (30 April 2014). "Meeting two men who took gold at our last home Games". www.heraldscotland.com. The Herald. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
4. "Tragic injury deprives Scots of a medal" . Dundee Courier. 28 July 1986. p. 11. Retrieved 19 January 2026– via British Newspaper Archive.
5. Burnside, Elspeth (10 December 1986). "Travers in with treble chance". Glasgow Herald. p. 22. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
6. "Perth's Dan Travers reflects on World Senior Championships victory". www.dailyrecord.co.uk. Perthshire Advertiser. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
7. "Travers to look after future of badminton" . Dundee Courier. 29 February 1996. p. 20. Retrieved 14 January 2026– via British Newspaper Archive.
8. "Travers seeks different future". www.heraldscotland.com. Herald Scotland. 8 March 1995. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
9. "Amazing Thailand-Pattaya BWF World Senior Championships 2025". bwfbadminton. Retrieved 13 September 2025.

External links

• Dan Travers at BWF Badminton.com
• Dan Travers at BWF .TournamentSoftware.com (archived)
• Dan Travers at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
• Dan Travers at the World Games