What a fantastic opportunity it was this afternoon in Chengdu for Australia’s Thomas Cup Team after going up against hosts China at the TotalEnergies BWF Thomas and Uber Cup Finals 2024.
Falcons Ricky Tang (MS, MD)/ Rayne Wang (MD), Jacob Schueler (MS), Kenneth Choo (MD)/ Huaidong Tang (MD) and Jack Yu (MS) went down fighting 0-5, but gained plenty of valuable experience during the opening day in Chengdu competing against some of the world’s best.
Hear from National Head Coach Leanne Choo on the match:
“They embraced every moment on court this afternoon and what’s most pleasing was watching them all individually execute elements of their game that they had been working on.
“One thing we wanted to see was them to not feel intimidated by the home crowd and just show up on court and play their best – which is exactly what they did.
“I am pleased with today and can’t wait to get underway with the Women’s Uber Cup Team first thing tomorrow.”
Australia’s Uber Cup Team (Group B) is on court tomorrow morning at 10.30am (AEST) for their first match against Thailand.
Australia’s Men’s Team (Group A) returns to the court later in the afternoon at 3pm (AEST) against Korea.
Full Results: https://bwfthomasubercups.bwfbadminton.com
📸 Badmintonphoto (Jnanesh Salian and Tan En En)
Watch all the action live via BWF TV: https://youtube.com/@bwftv?si=OJvcjnQg60gnAzhh
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Badminton Australia is thrilled to unveil the team selections for the TotalEnergies Badminton World Federation Thomas and Uber Cup Finals 2024.
The Thomas and Uber Cup Teams will travel to Chengdu, China, where the event is held from 27 April through to 5 May to compete against the top nations from across the world in what is the sport’s most prestigious Men’s and Women’s Team event.
Badminton Australia Tjitte (TJ) Weistra congratulated all the selected players who will represent Australia.
“After incredible performances during the qualification stage in Geelong, we are excited to see our teams go that one step further in the Finals,” he said.
“The Thomas and Uber Cups are among the most prestigious events in our sport and the experience of representing your nation in a team event is a true honour as an athlete.
“We wish all of our athletes the best of luck and we can’t wait to see you on court in Chengdu.”
The Thomas Cup was first held in 1949 and has been won a record 14 times by Indonesia, although India is the current champion after defeating Indonesia 3-0 during the 2022 edition in Thailand.
The Uber Cup’s history commenced in 1957 and has been won a record 15 times by China, however, at the 2022 tournament South Korea defeated China 3-2 to claim its second title.
The following players/squad/teams have been chosen by the Badminton Australia Selectors Panel in line with the Badminton Australia Selection Policy.
There’s plenty on the line this week in Thailand for the Australians competing at the NSDF Royal Beach Cliff BWF Para Badminton World Championships.
The record 14-strong squad is the biggest Australian contingent to ever attend the Championships which begins on Tuesday in Pattaya.
The Australian team includes a mixture of youth and experience, with some athletes making their World Championship debut, while for others it marks their fourth time competing.
As we draw closer to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, this event also stands as the final opportunity to amass crucial world ranking points for the Race to Paris.
“Qualifying for World Championships is a big deal, and for many, a dream come true,” said Badminton Australia CEO, Tjitte Weistra.
“Having the largest contingent of Australian players attend tournament is a sign of the growth of para badminton in Australia, particularly in recent years.”
Badminton Australia General Manager Participation and Para, Clare Walker said the size of the team was testament to the support which the para badminton program had received.
“With the support of the Australian Institute of Sport and Paralympics Australia, we are able to offer opportunities such as development camps for players to come together and train,” Walker said.
“By encouraging participation at grassroots, we have forged a strong partnership with Disability Sports Australia to deliver badminton through its Abilities Unleashed multi-sport days, in addition to what States and Territories offer.
“There is still a long way to go to develop para badminton in Australia, however, Badminton Australia with our partners is committed to continuing to work towards an even stronger program in the future.”
Australian Officials in attendance include Badminton Australia CEO Tjitte Weistra, National Para Badminton Head Coach Ian Bridge, Team Manager and Physiotherapist Pinakin Godse, and Abigail Rothery who is in attendance as a Development Coach.
Stephen Hadlow from Paralympics Australia has also travelled to Thailand and will be working with a remote VIS analyst to gather insights for targeted athletes with the potential to simulate anticipated set-ups that will be implemented as part of the Paris Performance Analysis Hub.
Stay tuned to Badminton Australia’s social media channels throughout the week for more content and updates from all the action in Thailand.
Anders Antonsen with Ricky Tang and Coach Joachim Persson.
Badminton Australia welcomes world top-10 Danish Men’s Singles player Anders Antonsen who is spending time in Australia during the lead up to the start of his 2024 season.
Anders will be in the country for a few weeks of training ahead of his next tournament, the PETRONAS Malaysian Open in January.
“Australia is very far from Denmark, but since I had just finished competing at a tournament in Asia (HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2023) and will be playing in Asia again in early January, it made sense to have a stopover here,” he said.
“It’s one of the aspects I love about being a badminton player, having the opportunity to travel to new countries and exploring different cultures and cuisines.
“I am really into food and coffee, and I’ve heard that Melbourne is a great place for it.”
Anders Antonsen secured a Bronze Medal in the Men’s Singles at the World Tour Finals 2023.
Anders had a strong year on court in 2023 which included a Bronze Medal at the BWF World Championships on home soil in Denmark, Gold at the Korea Open and another Bronze just recently at the BWF World Tour Finals in China.
While in the country Anders will spend time on court sparring against Australian Falcons, which began with a session with Ricky Tang earlier in the week.
“It was a light session today, but we will definitely increase as the week progresses,” Anders said.
“Hopefully the players will have some great sessions and I will do my best to help them on court. I am grateful for them coming down to play.”
Ricky was the first Falcon to step on court with Anders on Tuesday morning and embraced every minute of the experience.
“It was an honour to train with Anders and his coach. I was a bit nervous coming into the session, but they were very welcoming and helpful,” Ricky said.
Ricky Tang in action at the Sathio Group Australian Badminton Open.
“I feel like I’ve taken a lot away from the session. It was fantastic to gain first-hand experience of the European style of training and be a part of his preparations before he competes in Malaysia.”
Ricky also had a standout year on court, which included Gold in the Men’s Singles at the YONEX National Championships in Bendigo, in addition to his Australian Sudirman Cup squad debut in China.
His next tournament is the VICTOR Badminton Oceania Championships where he will be in action in both the Men’s Team Championship and Individuals.
National Head Coach Leanne Choo said training with Anders presented a unique experience for the Australian players.
“We are thrilled that Anders has chosen to come to Australia to train in the lead-up to the PETRONAS Malaysian Open in January,” Leanne said.
“While in the country he will be sparring with some of the Australian Falcons, which for them is an incredible opportunity.
“They will have the chance to learn from a world top-10 singles player who will no doubt challenge them, while also provide a great insight into how they can improve their own performances on court.
“Overall, we hope he enjoys his time with us, and we look forward to working with him.”
Anders Antonsen and Coach Joachim Persson at the World Tour Finals 2023
Anders’ passion for badminton extends far beyond just competitive play as he is dedicated to promoting the sport and creating content to reach greater audiences.
Part of this involves hosting a podcast with fellow Danish player Hans-Kristian Vittinghus called The Badminton Experience.
“I’ve always been into creating content and I enjoy following sports that are good at branding,” Anders said.
“Creating a podcast was just another way to do something fun that was related to badminton. On the podcast we talk about all things badminton amongst ourselves and sometimes we invite other players onto the show.
“I have been travelling a lot lately which makes it hard to release content consistently, but I am trying my best to get more content out in the future.”
Maureen Wijaya, Ephraim Stephen Sam, Tom Champion, Jayden Lim and Victoria Tjonadi.
Junior Falcons recently travelled to Thailand to attend the Badminton Oceania Player Development Program where they visited world-class training facilities and competed in an elite tournament.
The Junior Falcons and coach representing Badminton Australia Tom Champion spent the week training at the Banthongyord Badminton School in Bangkok before they competed at the BAT YONEX Pathumthani Junior International Series.
Champion said it was a fantastic opportunity for the Australian athletes to have a glimpse into life at one of Thailand’s most elite badminton academies.
“Our players were very excited to have the chance to train at Banthongyord’s world class facilities, which naturally brought on some nerves,” he said.
“However, they embraced the challenge of daily three hour on-court sessions followed by two hours of physical training. Both their minds and bodies adapted fantastically after a couple of days.
“Everything was great. The coaches were all very welcoming, which ensured our players were a part of it all and helped them get straight to work.”
One of the most eye-opening elements of attending the camp for both Champion and the players was seeing how international players approach training programs.
“The culture and mindset brought to the court by the Banthongyord players definitely stood out the most,” Champion said.
“Every session they are early, start their own warm up and conduct the same routine together as a team.
“The moment they step on court their intensity performing drills or competing against their teammates is just like a tournament, but as soon as they’re off the court, it’s back to the supportive and motivating attitude of each other.
“Cool downs all conducted together and done properly each time. The mentality that each Banthongyord player brings to each on-court and physical session allows them to get the most out of it and make great improvements to their all-round game.”
Following the week at Banthongyord, it was then time to put the experience into action at the BAT YONEX Pathumthani Junior International Series where there were players from across the world in contention.
Above all, Champion said it was a highly memorable opportunity for both himself and the players.
“We are all extremely grateful for the experience and proud to represent both Australia and Oceania in one of the best badminton nations in the world,” he said.
Badminton Australia National Performance Manager Brent Miller said the Program in Thailand provided critical learning lessons for overall player development.
“These opportunities are very important for the development of our athletes as they present the chance to compete, train and socialise with players that they don’t usually have exposure to back in Australia,” he said.
“The ability to not only train but also compete was a great opportunity to develop different key areas of their game.”
Miller said the focus for the players was to now bring back the newfound knowledge to their training programs in Australia.
“We hope each athlete brings back their own individual learning lessons and can share these with their clubs, states, and fellow Falcons,” he said.
“On an individual level the new skills are both technical and tactical, but also the experience of traveling and playing on the international stage for many of them was their first event overseas.
“They now understand what it takes to perform at this level and can take responsibility for themselves.”
Badminton Australia is thrilled to announce the team selections for the Oceania region TotalEnergies BWF Thomas and Uber Cup Qualifiers.
Falcons will travel to Geelong, Victoria from February 16-18 to compete in the VICTOR Oceania Men’s and Women’s Team Championships where they will take on the best players from across the region.
The winner of the Men’s and Women’s Team Championships in Geelong will then represent Oceania at the prestigious TotalEnergies BWF Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in Chengdu, China in April.
Badminton Australia CEO Tjitte (TJ) Weistra congratulated all players on their selections.
“It’s an incredible honour for an athlete to have the opportunity to represent their country in a team event,” he said.
“These players have put in endless hours of hard work both on and off the badminton court and now it’s their time to put their effort into action at the Thomas and Uber Cup Qualifiers.
“Congratulations to all of the players and we can’t wait to watch you on court in Geelong.”
The VICTOR Oceania Men’s and Women’s Team Championships will be held after the VICTOR Oceania Open Individual Championships (February 12-15).
The Thomas Cup was first held in 1949 and has been won a record 14 times by Indonesia, although India is the current champion after defeating Indonesia 3-0 during the 2022 edition in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Uber Cup’s history commenced in 1957 and has been won a record 15 times by China, however, at the 2022 tournament South Korea defeated China 3-2 to claim its second title.
Also announced this week was the reselection of the Junior Falcons with the Senior Falcons being reselected at the conclusion of the Oceania Championships in February.
Badminton Australia Junior Falcons recently refined their skills at a National Development Camp held at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.
The aim of the four-day program was to develop and improve their skills on the badminton court, while simultaneously providing the athletes with the experience of attending an elite sports facility.
The camp couldn’t have come at a more crucial time as there’s also 10-strong squad of Junior Falcons who are heading to the USA this week to compete at the BWF World Junior Championships.
Badminton Australia Junior Coach Tom Champion said National Development Camps provided athletes with the all-round experience of being a professional badminton player.
“At the Australian Institute of Sport we have access to the leading figures in their respective fields and can absorb information they have to offer,” Champion said.
“Particularly for the World Junior Championships team, it’s a place where they can really make quick strides in all areas of their game, which will make a difference at major tournaments.
“The on-court sessions are intense and sparring against and with the best players can only happen at these camps. Off-court they can make quick adjustments to their routines which can have immediate positive impacts to their performances.”
The four-day camp was separated into different areas of focus:
The first day on campus in Canberra began with a formalisation session for the players to get accustomed to the venue by focusing on consistency and quality of each shotwithout playing under pressure from an opponent or feeder.
Day two started with a similar pace, however, as the on-court drills began to expand the focus shifted to improve player reaction times whilst maintaining the basis of their shot quality and fluid movement.
During the second part of the day players engaged in singles attack drills which allowed them the freedom to be as aggressive as possible to understand their offensive limits. The focus was to have a better understanding of what works and doesn’t work from an attacking shot success point of view. The secondary focus was the feeder, e.g., the defender had to ensure they defended with quality otherwise the worker (attacker) didn’t have a chance to succeed at the primary goal.
On day three the focal point shifted to stability and shot quality while defending in doubles to ensure players understood the best methods of converting defence into offence or at least remain neutral in the rally.
The afternoon session’s focus was purely on serving, return and the third shot in doubles by ensuring every shot was of the highest quality to build confidence from game scenarios.
The final day would see the players convert their newfound knowledge into action with a team tournament to replicate the atmosphere of a competition by splitting equal-ability teams with the focus of applying all of the on-court training learned at the Camp.
Each day the Falcons attended Educational, Strength & Conditioning and Recovery sessions conducted by AIS staff members. The key focus for the players was to take the learnings from each session and understand how they can fit these into their weekly schedule.
Champion said when comparing the players’ knowledge from the start of the week to the last day “the consistency and creation of a positive culture of being a Junior Falcon was an aspect of the Camp they should all be very proud to have achieved together”.
“It’s now about using this energy and spirit back in their States and Clubs. Other players look up to the Falcons – it’s important they lead by example,” he said.
The learning lessons weren’t exclusive to the players, as the dedicated team of coaches also improved their skills.
“These camps are so valuable as I spent time with players that I normally wouldn’t coach on a daily/weekly basis,” Champion said.
“I developed a better understanding of how they best operate, what communication style leads to the best outcome and specifically I spent plenty of time setting goals and discussing areas of focus for when they return to training in their home states.
“Overall, it allowed me to be better educated as a coach of all national junior players.”
Gronya Somerville and Kenneth Choo in action at the Sathio Group Australian Badminton Open 2023.
Picture by Adam Yi Fan Chua
There’s no greater way to learn than by stepping onto the badminton court and going up against the best international players from across the world.
Australian players are on the verge of starting their campaigns at the TotalEnergies BWF World Championships in Copenhagen (August 21-27) where they will all face a great test.
“Opening matches will be tough and competitive for all, however with the right game plan and tactics, they can potentially cause some trouble for their opponents”, National Head Coach Leanne Choo said.
Leanne Choo coaching at the Sathio Group Australian Badminton Open 2023. Picture by Adam Yi Fan Chua
Most recently the players were in action on their home turf at the Sathio Group Australian Badminton Open where they were able to refine their on-court ability against opponents on the BWF Super 500 level.
“I am excited to see the players put their sharpened tactics and mental readiness into action in Copenhagen,” Choo said.
“All the players have specific skills and areas they have been working very hard on and this is a great opportunity to test the progress of those specific skills.”
“In the Women’s Doubles, Gronya and Kaitlyn have drawn Torrance and Macpherson who are ranked 35 in the world. This is one of the tougher first rounds, however, this is a great test for the girls and I believe they can get a positive result,” Choo said.
Kaitlyn Ea and Gronya Somerville at the Sathio Group Australian Badminton Open 2023. Picture by Badminton Photo (Paul Foxall)
“In the Mixed Doubles, Gronya and Ken face Smith and Ellis from England, who are ranked 32 in the world and are Commonwealth Silver Medallists. We are the underdog in this match and it is a good opportunity for Ken and Gronya to play a very experienced pair.
“When it comes to the Men’s Doubles, Ken and Ming face Reynolds and Magee who are ranked 54. I anticipate that this game will be a close battle and will be an exciting one to coach.
Ming Chuen Lim and Kenneth Choo will be back on court together in Copenhagen.
“Nathan has drawn Wardoyo in the Men’s Singles, and this will be a challenging match for him. Again, this is a great opportunity to compete against an experienced player and showcase what he has been working on.
“Finally, Tiffany is up against Arin who is a strong competitor. Tiff is an equally strong and tough competitor. I expect her to put up a good fight.”
Nathan Tang and Tiffany Ho will be representing Australia in the Singles competition in Copenhagen. Picture by Adam Yi Fan Chua
For most of the team the trip to Copenhagen marks their first appearance at the BWF World Championships and above all Choo hoped that all the players embraced every moment on court.
“There is a certain prestige that comes with competing in any sort of World Championship tournament, whether it be a team event or individual event,” she said.
“Although this tournament will be a step up for the Australian Team, we will approach and prepare the same way we would for any other tournament.”
During the lead up the Australian team will be training in Denmark under the guidance of Niclas Nohr before Choo arrives.
Once the tournament is underway, Nohr will also be helping out Choo when it comes to match-day coaching.
“The players will train in Denmark at his club before I join them. I am hoping to learn more from Niclas while we are coaching from behind the court. I am excited to see him coaching in action,” Choo said.
Stay tuned to Badminton Australia’s social media channels to keep up to date with all the Australian results.
The next generation of Australian badminton stars has never looked brighter after two thrilling weeks on court at WA Satterley Hall in South Australia for the YONEX U15/U19 National Championships 2023.
YONEX U19 CP Maddern Trophy 2023
Full CP Maddern Results: https://bit.ly/3Y9RCk2
To start the tournament was the YONEX U19 CP Maddern Trophy which saw New South Wales take a commanding 3-1 Finals win over South Australia.
Here’s what New South Wales Captain Jie Ying Chan had to say after the victory:
“I’m very proud of each and every one of my teammates,” he said.
“It’s great to have a chance to play as a team while cheering for your state and teammates.”
Badminton Australia Board Member Geraldine Brown congratulates NSW on their victory. Picture: Dayne Petersen (Badminton Australia)
YONEX U19 National Individual Championships 2023
Full YONEX U19 National Individual Championship Results: https://bit.ly/3OwXYXx
It was a quick turnaround for the U19 players as next up were the YONEX U19 National Individual Championships.
After several big days on court, it came down to a thrilling set of Finals matches.
“I am very happy with my performance,” Ooi said after the win.
“I’ve made a lot of people proud and it’s nice to know all of the hard work that I’ve put in during the past few weeks has come to fruition.”
In the lead-up to both the Team and Individual events Ooi paid special attention to increasing his agility across the court.
“Since the start of the tournament my touch, feel and movement has really been on form,” he said.
“I’ve been focusing on increasing my physical effort and going that extra mile to improve my overall fitness.”
More than anything, the U19 Men’s Singles Title has given him plenty of confidence for the future.
“I am now looking to play more tournaments with the aim of getting more international experience,” Ooi said.
Badminton Australia President Andrew Greenway with Gold: Asher Ooi (NSW), Silver: Jie Ying Chan (NSW), Bronze: Ephraim Stephen Sam (QLD) and Shrey Dhand (VIC).
WS: Isabella Yan (NSW) def Jazmine Lam (VIC) 21-16, 22-20
“It was a really tough win,” Yan said.
“I was mainly trying to keep my shots sharper and intercept returns a lot faster.”
Despite the win, Yan said it was a “really tough encounter” against Lam as the pair had played against each other many times before.
“After the team event earlier in the week it was very important to focus on recovering for the Individuals,” Yan said.
“We’ve played each other several times before but this match was definitely one of the closest.”
Gold: Isabella Yan (NSW), Silver: Jazmine Lam (VIC), Bronze: Maureen Wijaya (NSW) and Sydney Tjonadi (NSW) with Badminton Australia President Andrew Greenway
“Throughout the week each and every match that we played together we saw improvements and today we played at our best,” Zhao said after the win.
“At the start of the week we were a bit shaky but as the week progressed and once we were in the finals we were on fire and had a lot of fun on court together,” Yang said.
From the first day through to the last, one major area of improvement which the duo attributed to their win was improving their in-game tactics.
“We started playing a lot more aggressively and driving to tactically control the game rather than just rallying,” Zhao said.
“One we got into it and started shouting and bringing more energy we played a lot better,” Yang laughed.
The duo also praised their opponents for putting up a strong performance.
“They are just juniors but for their age they play at a very high level,” Zhao said.
Gold: Jordan Yang/Frederick Zhao (VIC), Silver: Shrey Dhand/Jayden Lim (VIC), Bronze: Don Bui (SA)/Ephraim Stephen Sam (QLD) and Jie Ying Chan(NSW)/Terrence Kok (WA)
WD: Dania Nugroho/Catrina Tan (SA) def Jazmine Lam/Bethany Li (VIC) 21-13, 21-19
When asked about the South Australian duo’s secret to success their answer was simple.
“It was an important match for us as we had so many South Australian teammates, players, coaches, family and friends cheering us on,” Nugroho said.
“When we could hear our teammates cheering, it certainly gave us the motivation that we needed,” Tan said.
“From the start of Individuals through to the end we really improved on our communication which gave us great energy and vibes which bounced off each other.”
Gold: Dania Nugroho/Catrina Tan (SA), Silver: Jazmine Lam/Bethany Li (VIC), Bronze: Sydney Tjonadi (NSW)/Joanne Zheng (WA) and Victoria Tjonadi (NSW)/Sarah Ung (VIC) with National Head Coach Leanne Choo
XD: Jordan Yang (VIC)/Sydney Tjonadi (NSW) def Asher Ooi/Isabella Yan (NSW) 21-6, 21-9
Despite the geographical distance, the Yang-Tjonadi pairing reigned supreme in the final event of the U19 National Individual Championships.
“I’ve been doing plenty of work on my front court speed around the net to help out Jordan,” Tjonadi said.
“Even though I live in Sydney and Jordan is from Melbourne, we try to play as many competitions together. Overall I am really proud of my achievements this week.”
In addition to a medal-haul, Tjonadi was also the recipient of the Joy Twinning Trophy which is given to the player exhibits the highest standards of sportsmanship, personality, court demeanour, player ability and determination.
Yang praised his teammate on her excellent work across the front court.
“Sydney is a great player on that part of the court which makes it really easy for me to control what’s going on in the middle and back areas of the court,” he said.
Looking back on his achievements for the week, Yang said he was “over the moon”.
“I didn’t expect to come into this tournament and win twice, but I came here, played my best and got it,” he said with a smile.
Gold: Sydney Tjonadi (NSW)/Jordan Yang (VIC), Silver: Asher Ooi/Isabella Yan (NSW), Bronze: Timothy Sentosa/Joanne Zheng (WA) and Terrence Kok/ Vivian Nguyen (WA)
YONEX U15 Val Nesbitt Trophy 2023
The U15 Victorian squad celebrates the 6-2 win over Western Australia to claim the YONEX Val Nesbitt Trophy 2023.
The week started off with the YONEX Val Nesbitt U15 Trophy with Victoria taking a 6-2 win over Western Australia to claim the Title.
Full Val Nesbitt Results: https://bit.ly/3rPPCla
YONEX U15 National Individual Championships 2023
Watch the Finals Livestream via the Badminton Australia Facebook: https://fb.watch/m5D3-VkjuA/
Full YONEX U15 National Individual Championships Results: https://bit.ly/3rUEm6N
The U15 National Individual Finals kicked off with a thrilling 43-minute showdown between Victoria’s Om Neelam and Queensland’s Aneesh Nirmal.
Nirmal came out firing to take the first game, however, it wasn’t long before Neelam found his groove to take out the next two to claim the Boys Singles Title.
“I felt that during the Teams event I was quite slow but once we started the Individuals my focus was a lot higher and I played some of my best badminton, especially during finals,” Neelam said after the win.
During the lead up to both tournaments there were several elements of his game which he put firmly in his sights in order to play at his best.
“I really focused on rear-court pushing and practicing my serves to avoid any unnecessary faults,” Neelam said.
“I improved in both of those areas and all the effort certainly helped me.”
Despite the win, it didn’t come easy for Neelam as Nirmal put on a top performance from start to finish.
“During the first game he was full of energy, but then my endurance and stamina kicked in and helped me get the win.”
Gold: Om Neelam (VIC), Silver: Aneesh Nirmal (QLD), Bronze: Leon Jacob Kurniawan (NSW) and Kenneth Lianyue Wu (NSW)
After taking out the first game 21-10, Adepu then picked up the pace and pushed Ngo to the limit.
It was definitely a nerve-racking match, but also very fun as I really had to fight back against her,” Ngo said after the win.
To build her confidence ahead of the tournament, Ngo focused on improving all of the basic skills and tactics to ensure she was firing at her absolute best.
Gold: Mimi Ngo (WA), Silver: Smrithi Adepu (VIC), Bronze: Xyn Yi Ling (WA) and Alphonsa Bijomon (VIC).
BD: Om Neelam(VIC)/Aneesh Nirmal (QLD) def Evan Ji (NSW)/Shih-Yuan Lim (VIC) 21-10, 21-10
After pushing each other to the edge in the Boys Singles Final, Neelam and Nirmal then found themselves back on court, however, this time as teammates in the Boys Doubles Final.
“I am very proud of both of us,” Nirmal said of his performance with Neelam.
“Yesterday we had a tough match in the Semi-Finals and throughout the week we’ve been very dominant.
“All round it was a solid performance from us in the Final as everything clicked aside from a couple of unforced errors here and there.”
Gold: Om Neelam (VIC)/Aneesh Nirmal (QLD), Silver: Evan Ji (NSW)/Shih-Yuan Lim (VIC), Bronze: Leon Jacob Kurniawan (NSW)/Adam Ooi (NSW) and Reikken Lydra (VIC)/Cayven Teo (VIC)
GD: Tanvi Sai Mushini (VIC)/Mimi Ngo (WA) def Emily Eric (WA)/Xyn Yi LIng (WA) 21-9, 21-13
Mushini and Ngo put their win down to two critical elements that are crucial to any pairing: defence and friendship.
The duo used these attributes to power themselves to gold in a commanding 21-9, 21-13 performance over Ling and Eric.
The victory didn’t come easy as they had to overcome strong defence and smashes from their opponents.
Gold: Tanvi Sai Mushini (VIC)/Mimi Ngo (WA), Silver: Emily Eric (WA)/Xyn Yi Ling (WA), Bronze: Angela Shen (WA)/Jemma Oaraya Stark (NT) and Alphonsa Bijomon (VIC)/Xiwen Liang (VIC)
To cap off the week, Neelam and Ngo returned to court for the Mixed Doubles Final where they put on strong performance to secure gold over Teo and Bijomon.
Bijomon also finished the competition by being named as the recipient of the Jan and Ross Synot Sportsmanship Award which is given to the U15 player who exhibits the highest standards of sportsmanship, personality, court demeanour, player ability and determination.
2023 Jan and Ross Synot recipient Alphonsa Bijomon (VIC).
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The Badminton World Federation is the global body responsible for the development of badminton, with a vision to give every child the chance to play badminton, the BWF are key to the success of badminton at any level. Badminton Australia is a member of the BWF. Having supported the development of international tournaments in Australia and the development of athletes to the highest level, BA is very grateful to have the support of the BWF.
Badminton Oceania
Badminton Oceania is the representative for the Badminton World Federation in the Oceania region. They are responsible for the development and progress of badminton within the Oceania region. Badminton Oceania are a great supporter of Badminton Australia and work closely with BA on a regular basis.
Australian Olympic Committee
The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) is a non-government, not-for-profit focused on developing youth and sport. The AOC is responsible for the funding, supporting, selection and sending of Australia athletes to the Olympics every four years. The AOC provides significant support to the Australian Badminton Falcons and the Badminton Australia Performance Pathway. Badminton Australia is very thankful and is perpetually excited for Australian badminton players to represent their country Olympic Games.
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is the second arm of the Australian Sports Commission, the focus of the AIS is at all aspects of high-performance sport and as a result Badminton’s High-Performance teams work with the leading minds at the AIS. Badminton Australia has been working with the AIS for many years and with a continued focus on high performance excellence, both home and abroad, is excited to continue to work with the AIS long into the future.
Li-Ning
Li-Ning is a global leader in sports apparel, with a focus on badminton, Badminton Australia is proud to be partnered with an organisation with such a rich and successful history in sport and for it to support the Australian Badminton Falcons. Li-Ning has supported Olympic medal athletes across the world and continues to push badminton apparel forward.
Sport Australia
Sport Australia is an arm of the Australian Sports Commission that is responsible for the broader sport sector. Included in their responsibilities are participation, governance and supporting activities that link to the sport industries growth and sustainability long term. Badminton Australia works closely with Sport Australia in areas of participation, governance and other sport related activities.
YONEX
YONEX has been a supporter of the sport of badminton globally since 1957 when they produced their first badminton racquets. As the business has expanded so too has their equipment and apparel offerings. YONEX has supported badminton in Australia at all levels for a number of years and badminton Australia is very excited to continue its relationship with an organisation that has been involved in the sport for so long.
Badminton Australia Junior Coach Tom Champion said National Development Camps provided athletes with the all-round experience of being a professional badminton player.
