14 Facts About Richard Purser

Richard Howard Purser was born on 28 February 1942 and is a New Zealand badminton player who has won 33 New Zealand national badminton titles, including the men's singles on nine occasions.

Richard Purser competed at four consecutive Commonwealth Games, from 1966 to 1978, and won the bronze medal in the men's doubles with his brother, Bryan Purser, at the 1978 Commonwealth Games.

Richard Purser was educated at New Plymouth Boys' High School, where he excelled at tennis and badminton.

Richard Purser's nephew, Mark Purser, is a golfer who represented New Zealand in the Eisenhower Trophy before turning professional.

Richard Purser won national junior badminton titles in 1958 and 1959.

Richard Purser won the first of his 33 senior New Zealand national badminton championship titles in 1962, that year winning the men's singles and mixed doubles, with Margaret Moorhead.

Richard Purser went on to win the New Zealand men's singles title nine times.

In February 1970, Richard Purser was named the Taranaki sportsman of the year.

Richard Purser represented New Zealand at four Commonwealth Games between 1966 and 1978.

In 1974, at the British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, Richard Purser was again defeated by Jamie Paulson in the quarter-finals.

At his final Commonwealth Games, in 1978 at Edmonton, Richard Purser reached the quarter-finals of the men's singles, again finished fourth in the mixed doubles with Alison Branfield, and won the bronze medal with his brother Bryan in the men's doubles.

In 2003, after running summer badminton training camps in Austria for 14 years, Richard Purser returned to New Zealand and competed in the men's doubles, paired with Phil Horne, at the North Harbour Open.

Richard Purser began playing squash in New Plymouth as part of his training for badminton.

Richard Purser went on to represent New Zealand at masters level.