Topping was a member of the Alpha Badminton Club in Lisburn,[3] although he did play for Hampshire as teenager while at college in England.[1]
Topping represented Ulster at provincial level[4] and all-Ireland at international level, winning the first of his 108 caps in November 1991 against Scotland.[1] His brother Mark Topping also won international honours.[5]
Topping went to the first of his four Commonwealth Games, when he was selected to play for the 1994 Northern Irish team[6] at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada,[7] where he competed in the badminton tournament.[8] He attended a second Commonwealth Games for the 1998 Northern Irish team[9] at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he competed in three events.[10]
Although he played singles (ranking number one in Ireland),[11] he was very successful at doubles, partnering Michael O'Meara, his brother Mark and Graham Henderson in the men's doubles and Ann Stephens, Claire Henderson and Jayne Plunkett in mixed doubles.[12]
Two further appearances ensued at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and 2006 Commonwealth Games before he announced his retirement from playing.[13]
At retirement he was a 19-times Irish champion at the Irish National Badminton Championships, winning the singles twice,[14] men's doubles eight times[15] and mixed doubles nine times.[16]
