Meet Pam and Sian - bossing the badminton world aged 63

Badminton has been in Pam Peard's blood since she was a child, but it has taken her a few decades to reach world dominance.

The 63-year-old from Bangor is a senior badminton world champion - three times over, no less.

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She travels the world with her playing partner, Sian Williams, who is also 63 and lives in Dublin.

Both have been playing badminton since they were children and Fleetwood Mac were topping the charts.

Pam and Sian struck up a friendship at the European Junior Championships in 1979 in Mülheim, Germany. Pam was representing Ireland, and Sian was representing her home country Wales.

However, it was not until decades later that they would see success teaming up on the world stage.

"A few months before the beginning of the year we both turned 50 I said to Sian we need to talk about a couple of things," Pam told BBC News NI.

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"We need to have a big bash for our fiftieth, and what would you think about trying to play a few senior tournaments."

The defending champions retained the over-60s 2025 world title in September, representing Ireland in a decisive victory over French opposition.

"There was something around 1600 players in total over all the age groups, so it's a mammoth tournament."

Their previous world golds were won in South Korea in 2023, and in Turkey back in 2013.

Continuing the family legacy

For Pam, the start of her badminton life was a case of following in family footsteps.

Her mother Susan (Devlin) Peard, grandfather JF Devlin, and aunt Judy (Devlin) Hashman were all badminton players.

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They competed in a range of tournaments, cleaning up mainly in the All England Open, which was "the premier tournament in the world", as the world championships did not commence until 1977.

"When you've got sporty parents and grandparents, sometimes the kids don't take to it, but myself and my brother did", she added.

Her brother also continues to compete, playing division one for the Mount Pleasant club in Dublin.

Both Pam's father and maternal grandmother also played tennis at Wimbledon in their day: "We had the best coaches in the world really."

Pam has continued this legacy, first picking up the sport when she was around six years old.

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Talking on how the competitive scene has changed throughout her career, she said there are now more opportunities for travelling abroad than before.

"There are weekend tournaments on offer throughout Europe if one wants to head off to them."

For Sian, her love of the sport began when she was nine years old living in Wales, where she saw her next door neighbours playing.

She says: "I was friendly with their daughter and just got dragged to the badminton club, and I liked it."

Now living in Dublin, she coaches the sport for a range of age groups, from beginner to international level.

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"I coach everything from six-year-olds which is my youngest, and my oldest is 73 years old so everything in between."

'They can't believe our age'

Playing at such a high level in their 60s, Sian said how they have to take extra care to avoid injury.

"When they actually see us in action, they can't believe our age", she added.

"I suppose because we've never stopped playing it's just a natural thing for us. The main thing is to not overtrain, it's just to keep it right."

Pam added: "Most of my friends are from the sporting fraternity, so they understand how difficult it is to get to, and stay at the top, and what a commitment it takes to keep going."

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Suffering osteoarthritis in both knees, as well as undergoing shoulder surgery, Pam works hard to stay pain-free:

"Most days I do about an hour of physiotherapy/exercises which help to keep the knee and shoulder pain at bay.

"I tend to say that if someone my age who plays to a high standard says that they aren't injured, then either they are lying or they aren't trying hard enough."

Pam and Sian will continue to compete in a packed 2026 schedule, starting off with the Scottish Open in Glasgow, before competing in the English Masters in April.

While that may sound fun, Pam says the pair certainly don't play around during tournaments.

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"You know we're working now," she tells BBC News NI.

"We're in the hotel looking at results, on YouTube watching the opposition.

"It's not all fun and games once it gets going."

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