Jayne Plunkett

Plunkett was a member of the Alpha Badminton Club in Lisburn^[2] and represented Ulster at provincial level.^[3] and made her full senior debut as a 19-year-old.^[1] She specialised in doubles play and partners included Claire Henderson and Ann Stephens in the women's doubles^[4] and Bruce Topping and Graham Henderson in mixed doubles.^[5]

Plunkett represented the 1994 Northern Irish team^[6] at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada,^[7] where she competed in the badminton tournament.^[8] At the Games she partnered Ann Stephens, reaching the quarter-finals of the women's doubles and also teamed up with Graham Henderson in the mixed doubles. ^[9] By 1996 she had earned over 30 caps^[1] and attended a second Commonwealth Games for the 1998 Northern Irish team^[10] at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where she competed in four events.^[11]

In 1999 Plunkett had 85 Irish caps and was living in Newtownards, working as a senior care nurse.^[12]

She was a six-time Irish champion at the Irish National Badminton Championships, winning the women's doubles in 1995 and 1998^[13] and the mixed doubles in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001.^[14] A third Commonwealth Games appearance arrived for the 2002 Northern Irish team^[15] at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England,^[16] where she competed in women's doubles and mixed doubles.^[17]