Derek Talbot (born 23 March 1947) is a former badminton player from England. One of Britain's most successful "all-rounders," he won eleven English National Championships four singles, three doubles, and four mixed doubles. He also won four Commonwealth Games gold medals and in partnership with the formidable Gillian Gilks he won three mixed doubles crowns at the prestigious All-England Open (1973, 1976, and 1977).
Talbot was born and raise in Newcastle, Tyne and Wear county. He married June Kay on 18 July 1975 in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Talbot won a silver medal in the 1977 IBF World Championships in the mixed doubles with Gillian Gilks, losing against Steen Skovgaard and Lene Køppen in the final.
Talbot competed in badminton at the 1972 Summer Olympics, where badminton was played as a demonstration sport. In the men's doubles he and Elliot Stuart, his former schoolfellow in Newcastle upon Tyne, were defeated in the semi-finals by Ade Chandra and Christian Hadinata 15âÂÂ8, 15âÂÂ12. In the mixed doubles, he paired with Gillian Gilks and they won the gold medal, beating Svend Pri and Ulla Strand of Denmark in the final 15âÂÂ6, 18âÂÂ16.
Talbot represented the England team at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he competed in the badminton events, winning a gold medal in the mixed doubles.
Talbot was also successful at three mor Commonwealth Games; winning three more gold medals, a silver medal and two bronze medals between 1974 and 1978.
Talbot decided to retire from the international badminton in 1981.
Mixed doubles
Mixed doubles
Men's doubles
Men's singles
Men's doubles
Mixed doubles
Men's singles
Men's doubles
Mixed doubles
Men's singles
Men's doubles
Mixed doubles
Towards the latter stages of his badminton career Derek ran a sports shop, which specialised in racket sports, with ex-South African badminton internationalist Eddie Allen, and local man Neil Woodward, in Newcastle. They sold their own Vicourt badminton rackets. When he retired from serious competition, he set up his own badminton company called Talbot Torro Badminton. In recent years Derek left his more traditional career behind and ultimately set up the Natural Patient homeopathic centre in Ibiza.
He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to badminton.