Ross Livingston

Ross Livingston was one of Australia’s gifts to New Zealand sport.

A talented left-handed badminton player, he represented Australia in singles and doubles at the 1970 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games before moving to New Zealand. He arrived in time to earn selection for the New Zealand team for the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games and for several years pushed Richard Purser hard for the top slot in the New Zealand team.

Livingston, born in Tasmania in 1949, is regarded in badminton circles as one of the best players produced by Australia. He won three Australian titles and was inducted into the Tasmania Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.

At Edinburgh in 1970, he lost to second-seeded Canadian Bruce Rollick 15-12, 15-17 in the round of 16 in the singles and made little impression in the doubles.

Representing his adopted country in Christchurch in 1974, he had an extremely challenging first round match in the singles, finally beating Devinder Ahuja of India 15-10, 14-17, 18-15. He had less trouble in the second round, dismissing Tanzanian Arun Jobanputra of Tanzania for the loss of just six points. He was nearly as brutal with Englishman Elliot Stuart in the third round, playing his best badminton to win 15-9, 15-3. However, he found Malaysian Punch Gunalan, the eventual gold medallist, too severe in the quarter-finals and went down 15-7, 15-8.

In the men’s doubles, Livingston and Warren Johns had a good first round win over Australians Paul Tyrrell and John Clancy and then beat Canadians Wayne Macdonnell and Jamie McKee 15-8, 15-5. They fell to eventual silver medallists Ray Stevens and Michael Tredgett of England 15-3, 15-9.

Livingston and Gaynor Weatherley went down in two closes games to the Scottish team of Jim Ansari and Helen Kelly in the first round of the mixed doubles.

Livingston represented New Zealand in the Whyte Trophy, against his former country, and the Thomas Cup.

He also had another Commonwealth Games outing, at Edmonton in 1978, joined this time by his wife Mary.

In the men’s singles, Livingston had two quick wins and then did well to come out on top against England’s Kevin Jolly 18-16, 15-11. In the quarter-finals he could make little progress against the talented Malaysian Saw Swee Leong and went down 15-7, 15-2.

Livingston and Steve Wilson combined in the men’s doubles, but lost to the crack Indian team of Prakash Padukone and Uday Pawar 15-9, 15-5.

In the mixed doubles, the Livingston husband and wife team reached the third round with a hard-fought win over Canadians Keith Priestman and Sharon Crawford 15-18, 15-7, 15-7. But they were no match for England’s Tredgett and Nora Perry, losing 15-9, 15-0.

There was also a team event in the badminton at Edmonton. Livingston and Wilson lost their doubles match in the first-up team defeat by India. Against Wales, Livingston played in the singles and scored a quick win, but against England he and Wilson lost their doubles match.

New Zealand reached the semi-finals, where Livingston and Wilson scored a good win over Canadians Priestman and Lucio Fabris, though New Zealand went down 3-2. In the bronze medal play-off against Malaysia. Livingston and Wilson went down to Moo Foot Lian and James Salvarag 15-12, 5-15, 15-11. Malaysia won the tie 4-1.

Livingston won six New Zealand titles – three in the singles from 1975-77, and three in the doubles, with Warren Johns in 1977 and with Steve Wilson in 1979 and 1981.

Though he sometimes struggled for full fitness, he was an extremely talented strokemaker. He had the distinction of joining Jeff Robson and Richard Purser as New Zealand players who won the Scottish Open, one of the most significant titles in Britain.

Livingston worked for a company that supplied hardware merchandise.