Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 23, 2026

Mark Topping

Mark Topping, is a former international badminton player from Northern Ireland who competed at the Commonwealth Games and was a five-time champion of Ireland.

Last revised
Jun 23, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
442 w
Citations
14
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Mark Topping
Personal information
NationalityBritish (Northern Irish)
Born7 December 19651
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Sport
SportBadminton
ClubAlpha BC, Lisburn
Medal record
Representing  Northern Ireland
Irish Nationals
Gold medal – first place 2000–01, 2003–05 men's doubles

Mark Topping (born 7 December 1965), is a former international badminton player from Northern Ireland who competed at the Commonwealth Games and was a five-time champion of Ireland.

Biography

Topping graduated with a Business Studies degree at the University of Portsmouth in 1994 and represented Hampshire at county level.2 He then represented Ulster at provincial level3 and the all-Ireland team at international level, making his debut in the 1994 Thomas Cup.45

Topping specialised in doubles play and partners included his brother Bruce Topping in the men's doubles and Nikki Lane in mixed doubles.6 He played for the Alpha Badminton Club in Lisburn7 but later moved to Dublin.8 In 2001 he was ranked number one in Ireland in doubles with his brother Bruce9 and in 2003 won two titles in the Autumn Open Championships in Dublin, winning the men's and mixed doubles.10

Topping represented the 2006 Northern Irish team11 at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, where he competed in doubles events.12

He was a five-time Irish champion at the Irish National Badminton Championships, winning the men's doubles in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005.1314

References

References

  1. "Mark Topping". Badminton Ranks. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
  2. "Historic win for Ireland". Portsmouth Evening News. 23 December 1992. p. 14. Retrieved 23 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. "Topping romps into final". Ireland's Saturday Night. 29 October 1994. p. 5. Retrieved 23 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. "Historic win for Ireland". Evening Herald (Dublin). 16 January 1999. p. 46. Retrieved 23 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "Mark's first". Belfast Telegraph. 4 February 1994. p. 33. Retrieved 23 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "Tolerton grabs hat-trick of titles". Belfast Telegraph. 31 October 1994. p. 22. Retrieved 23 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "Alpha Club Championships". Ulster Star. 14 April 1995. p. 53. Retrieved 23 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Jordanstown Northern stars". Evening Herald (Dublin). 9 March 2006. p. 91. Retrieved 23 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "Bruce topping the Irish rankings". Ireland's Saturday Night. 28 December 2002. p. 13. Retrieved 23 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "Badminton". Belfast Telegraph. 29 September 2003. p. 29. Retrieved 23 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "N Ireland Commonwealth Games team". BBC Sport. 7 February 2006. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
  12. "Northern Ireland Melbourne 2006". Commonwealth Games Federation. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
  13. "Badminton Ireland National Champions Men's Doubles 1912-Present". Eirball. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
  14. "Irish Senior Nationals Winners". Badminton Ireland. Retrieved 24 March 2026.