Bryan Purser
Personal information
Birth nameBryan Russell Purser
CountryNew Zealand
Born1950 or 1951 (age 73–74)
Medal record
Men's badminton
Representing  New Zealand
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 1978 Edmonton Men's doubles

Bryan Russell Purser (born 1950 or 1951) is a New Zealand badminton player. He competed at two Commonwealth Games, in 1974 and 1978, and won the bronze medal in the men's doubles with his brother, Richard Purser, at the 1978 Commonwealth Games.

Early life and family

Born in about 1950,[1] Purser is the son of Betty Purser (née Cochran) and Howard Musgrave Purser, and the brother of Richard Purser.[2][3][4] He was educated at New Plymouth Boys' High School, where he was a house prefect[5] and active in sports. He was vice-captain of the cricket 1st XI in 1968,[6] and was prominent as a badminton and tennis player.[7][8]

Purser's son, Mark Purser, is a golfer who represented New Zealand in the Eisenhower Trophy before turning professional.[9][10] His nephew, Craig Cooper, has represented New Zealand in badminton.[2]

Badminton

Purser won national junior badminton titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles in 1967.[11]

Purser represented New Zealand at two Commonwealth Games, in 1974 and 1978.[12] At the 1974 British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, Purser was eliminated in the round of 16 in each of the men's singles,[13] men's doubles (partnering his brother Richard),[14] and mixed doubles (with Robin Denton).[15] At the 1978 Commonwealth Games at Edmonton, Purser was eliminated in the second round of the men's singles, reached the round of 16 in the mixed doubles with Allison Sinton,[16] and won the bronze medal with his brother Richard in the men's doubles.[17] In the mixed teams event, Purser was a part of the New Zealand team that finished fourth, losing to Malaysia in the play-off for the bronze medal.[18]

Later life

After playing badminton in Europe for several seasons, Purser returned to New Zealand, and with his sister and brother-in-law, Judy and Ray Cooper, bought the franchise for Cowell's Genuine Pavlovas in Hamilton, in 1981. They grew the business, from initially baking 224 pavlovas a day, to a similar number per hour in 2001.[19]

References

  1. ^ Singh, Anendra (17 January 2006). "Family ties: when daddy is a caddy". Hawke's Bay Today. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Kiwi pair aiming to rattle top Beijing combos". Waikato Times. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Purser history" (PDF). Kete New Plymouth. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Sportsman trophy presented" (PDF). Taranaki Photo News. February 1970. p. 41. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Day houses". The Taranakian. Vol. 57. December 1968. p. 7. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Cricket". The Taranakian. Vol. 57. December 1968. p. 21. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Tennis". The Taranakian. Vol. 57. December 1968. p. 40. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Badminton". The Taranakian. Vol. 56. December 1967. p. 29. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Top sporting day for Purser family". The Press. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Golf: Purser joins professional ranks". New Zealand Herald. 2 November 2006. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  11. ^ "School notes". The Taranakian. Vol. 56. December 1967. p. 20. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  12. ^ Bryan Purser at the New Zealand Olympic Committee
  13. ^ "Games details—fourth day". The Guardian. 29 January 1974. p. 27.
  14. ^ "Games details". The Guardian. 28 January 1974. p. 17.
  15. ^ "Fifth-day results from Christchurch". Daily Telegraph. No. 36917. 30 January 1974. p. 29.
  16. ^ "Badminton". The Guardian. 10 August 1978. p. 18.
  17. ^ "Badminton doubles – men Edmonton 1978". Commonwealth Games Federation. 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  18. ^ "Badminton team event – mixed Edmonton 1978". Commonwealth Games Federation. 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  19. ^ Gill, Mary Anne (30 June 2001). "Creaming it with pavlovas". Waikato Times. p. 21.
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