Early life and family
Denton was born Robin Lesley Glenie in 1950,[1][2] one of five children of Gwen Gibson Glenie (née Gardner) and Jack Patrick Glenie.[3][4] Her siblings include Alison Glenie, who was also a New Zealand badminton representative. She was educated at St Cuthbert's College, Auckland.[3]
She became a schoolteacher and married international badminton umpire Robert Denton, also a teacher.[2]
Badminton
Denton represented New Zealand in badminton at three Commonwealth Games: in 1970, 1974 and 1982.[1]
At the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, competing as Robin Glenie, she lost her respective opening matches in the women's singles and women's doubles (with her sister Alison Glenie).[5][6] In the mixed doubles, with John Compton, she won her first match before being eliminated in the round of 16.[7]
In 1974, competing under her married name at the British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, she was again defeated in the first round of the women's singles.[8] In the women's doubles, partnering her sister Alison, she won her first round match[9] before being eliminated in the quarter-finals by the Malaysian pair of Rosalind Singha Ang and Sylvia Ng.[10][11] In the mixed doubles she and partner Bryan Purser won their first-round match,[8] before losing in the round of 16.[12]
At her final Commonwealth Games, in 1982 at Brisbane, Denton lost in the first round of the women's singles.[13] With Toni Whittaker she reached the quarter-finals of the women's doubles,[14] and she won the bronze medal with Steve Wilson in the mixed doubles.[15] In the mixed teams event, Denton was a part of the New Zealand team that finished fourth, losing to Malaysia in the play-off for the bronze medal.[16]
