Falcons team named for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games

A squad of 10 Australian Falcons have been selected to represent Australia at the upcoming Birmingham Commonwealth Games, with eight of the selected players set to make their debut.

Selected athletes with Borobi, the Commonwealth Games mascot. From left to right, Nathan Tang (VIC), Kaitlyn Ea (VIC), Yingxiang Lin (WA), Jacob Schueler (VIC), Angela Yu (QLD) and Jack Yu (QLD).

As well as the debutants and not in the picture are, Gronya Somerville (Victoria), has been selected to her third Commonwealth Games, while Hsuan-Yu (Wendy) Chen (Queensland), will make her second appearance. Tran Hoang Pham who is the oldest member of the team debuting at 37, hails from New South Wales, along with NBC team mate Tiffany Ho.

Somerville, the senior member of the team, is thrilled to be selected for a third time and is excited about the range of talent in the new additions.

“It is incredible to be selected for my third Commonwealth Games and have the opportunity to represent Australia again,” Somerville said.

“We have a great group of players who are going to be working hard and motivating one another to be at their best.”

Of the debutants, siblings Angela and Jack Yu, both from Queensland, have shown great potential recently. Angela will play in the teams and individual events while Jack, the youngest member of the team at 17, has shown his superb potential while rising up through the junior ranks.

Victorian’s Nathan Tang, 31, Jacob Schueler, 24, and Kaitlyn Ea, along with Western Australia’s Yingxiang Lin, 22, round out the Australian squad.

Meanwhile Chen, who is also a dual Olympian, has enjoyed international success and could be a leading contender for a medal, following her recent win in the women’s singles at the 2022 Oceania Championships.

She will look to better her strong performance at the 2018 Commonwealth Games where she reached the quarterfinals in the badminton mixed teams event.

Badminton Australia CEO Jamie Parsons welcomed today’s selection of Australian Falcons who are heading to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

“Today is a great day for the 10 Badminton Australia Falcons who have been selected to represent Australia at the upcoming Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games,” Parsons said.

“We have nominated an exciting group of talented athletes who are ready to test their skills against the best players from across the Commonwealth.

“On behalf of Badminton Australia, we celebrate the 10 athletes, their coaches, families and supporters for all of their hard work and determination to get to this point. We are proud of them all and we can’t wait to watch them compete in Birmingham.”

Badminton made its debut at the Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica in 1966 and has been on the program at every Games since.

Australia will be looking to break a two-Games medal-winning drought, having last won bronze in the women’s doubles at the Delhi 2010 Games. 

Lisa Campbell, (women’s singles) Mike Scandolera & Audrey Tuckey (mixed doubles) are Australia’s three gold medallists in the sport.

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held from Thursday 28 July to Monday 8 August with the Badminton competition to be conducted from Friday 29 July all the way through to Monday 8 August with the competition to be held at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC).

Australian Badminton Team – Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games:

NAME

EVENT

AGE

COMMONWEALTH GAMES

CLUB

 

Hsuan-Yu (Wendy) Chen

Team and Individual

28

2nd (2018 – R16: Women’s Singles, Quarter-finals: Mixed Team)

Chandler Badminton Club

QLD

Kaitlyn Ea

Team and Individual

18

Debut

Infinity Badminton Club

VIC

Tiffany Ho

Team and Individual

24

Debut

NBC

NSW

Gronya Somerville

Team and Individual

27

3rd (2014 – R16: Mixed Doubles, Quarter-finals: Mixed Team; 2018 – 4th: Women’s Doubles, Quarter-finals: Mixed Team)

Play Badminton

VIC

Angela Yu

Team and Individual

19

Debut

Griffith University Badminton Club 

QLD

Yingxiang Lin

Team and Individual

22

Debut

An-Yu

WA

Tran Hoang Pham

Team and Individual

37

Debut

NBC

NSW

Jacob Schueler

Team and Individual

24

Debut

Ocean Grove Badminton Club

VIC

Nathan Tang

Team and Individual

31

Debut

Glen Waverley Badminton Club

VIC

Jack Yu

Team and Individual

17

Debut

Griffith University Badminton Club

QLD

Chandler Badminton Club