The third and final day of the VICTOR Oceania Mixed Team Championships 2025 was filled with thrilling moments, highlighted by Australia’s dominant 5-0 victory over New Zealand, and Tahiti’s decisive 5-0 win over the Cook Islands. Australia secured their seventh consecutive title with commanding performances across all disciplines, while Tahiti clinched their second-ever medal at the tournament.
In addition to the intense mixed team action, the Pacific U15 Invitation Team Challenge also wrapped up with deserving victories, as New Caledonia triumphed in a 3-2 tie against the Cook Islands, completing their successful run to take out the Pacific U15 Invitation Team Challenge title. The day marked the end of a fierce competition, with rising young talents from across the region showing incredible promise.
Australia vs. New Zealand
Australia’s displayed a masterclass of team style badminton against New Zealand. Right from the start, Australia took control, with strong performances in both the mixed doubles and singles. While New Zealand put up a good fight, Australia’s experience and skill shone through, and they cruised to a 5-0 win, once again proving their dominance in the region.
MATCH 1
Starting with the mixed doubles, Australia’s duo of Ricky Tang and Gronya Somerville were in excellent form. They quickly established dominance with superior net play and rapid court coverage. Despite strong resistance from New Zealand’s Edward Lau and Shaunna Li, the Australian pair’s aggressive style and well-coordinated attacks helped them maintain a comfortable lead throughout both games. Their chemistry was evident, and they closed out the match in straight games, putting Australia ahead 1-0 in the tie.
MATCH 2
Jack Yu continued Australia’s dominance by securing a straight-game victory, his explosiveness and accuracy on the court further extending their lead.
MATCH 3
Olympian Tiffany Ho (AUS) battled through a tough second game to overcome Shaunna Li 21-19, 18-21, 21-15. Li refused to give Ho any ground, pressuring her at every serve. Ho was able to regroup and comeback in the third game to give Australia another win.
MATCH 4
The three-game men’s doubles match thrilled the crowd. The constant back-and-forth between Australian duo Ricky Tang and Jack Yu and the Kiwi pair of Raphael Chris Deloy and Dylan Soedjasa kept everyone guessing. In the end, Tang and Yu managed to clinch the win 21-12, 14-21, 21-18, with a dominant performance in the third game after a tight battle in the second. Despite the challenge, the Australian pair showed their resilience and sealed the victory, giving Australia a crucial point in the tie.
MATCH 5
Gronya Somerville and Angela Yu completed the sweep with a dominant performance in the Women’s doubles.
For New Zealand, there were moments of resilience, especially in the men’s doubles and women’s singles, but they were unable to match the pace and power of their Australian counterparts.
Australia’s title was sealed, and the team celebrated yet another milestone in their successful reign at the Oceania Championships. They will return home with the infamous Whyte Trophy, a historic prize played for every two years by the Trans-Tasman neighbours.
Australia also punched their ticket to the Sudirman Cup in Xiamen, China later this year, where they will represent Oceania on the world stage.
Tahiti vs. Cook Islands
Tahiti dominated the Cook Islands in today’s VICTOR Oceania Mixed Team Championships, securing a 5-0 win across all five matches.
MATCH 1
In the mixed doubles, Yann Jeandroz and MéIissa Mi You of Tahiti took control from the start, winning 21-11, 21-15 against Emanuela Mataio and Lana Toa of the Cook Islands. Their powerful and precise play put Tahiti on the board with the first point of the tie.
MATCH 2
Next up, Heirautea Curet of Tahiti defeated Tanya Tupa 21-11, 21-9. Curet’s consistency and aggressive play were too much for Tupa, giving Tahiti a solid 2-0 lead.
MATCH 3
After a recent battle with injury, Rémi Rossi of Tahiti returned to the court for the men’s singles match to seal another point for his team with a commanding 21-5, 21-8 victory over Emanuela Mataio. Rossi’s speed and sharp shots overwhelmed Mataio, extending Tahiti’s lead to 3-0.
MATCH 4
In the women’s doubles, Heirautea Curet and Esther Tau of Tahiti defeated Lana Toa and Te Pai o Te Rangi Tupa 21-16, 21-12. Their tactical play and precision put them in full control, giving Tahiti a 4-0 lead.
MATCH 5
For the men’s doubles, Antoine Beaubois and Rémi Rossi of Tahiti wrapped up the tie with a 21-6, 21-8 victory over Kaiyin Mataio and Danny Simpson of the Cook Islands, completing a dominant 5-0 sweep for Tahiti.
Tahiti’s 5-0 win is a testament to their strength and depth across all disciplines, as they showcased their rising dominance in the Oceania region.
The Cook Islands fought hard but were outclassed in every department, with Tahiti’s precision, skill, and teamwork proving too much.
Tahiti will look to build on this victory as they continue to make their mark in regional badminton, while the Cook Islands will look to regroup and learn from this experience as they continue to grow on the international stage.
New Caledonia vs. Cook Islands (U15)
In an exciting U15 mixed team match, New Caledonia came from behind to defeat the Cook Islands 3-2, showcasing resilience and determination across the five matches.
MATCH 1
First up was the mixed doubles, Claude Simpson and Henrynna Napa of the Cook Islands faced Lyam Sargito and Augustine Capitaine from New Caledonia. The Cook Islands pair took the first match 21-17, 21-10, getting their team off to a strong start and putting them 1-0 up in the tie.
MATCH 2
In the women’s singles, Trudeinus Tuaputa from the Cook Islands faced Olympe Darcheville of New Caledonia in the girls’ singles. Tuaputa fought hard, but Darcheville triumphed, leveling the score at 1-1 and keeping the Cook Islands in the hunt.
MATCH 3
In the boys’ singles, Vincent Simpson of the Cook Islands took on Kimi Durand from New Caledonia. Durand showed his strength and consistency, winning 21-11, 21-13, and giving New Caledonia their first lead of the tie at 2-1.
MATCH 4
In an exciting girls’ doubles match, Henrynna Napa and Trudeinus Tuaputa of the Cook Islands faced Augustine Capitaine and Olympe Darcheville of New Caledonia. Despite a tough challenge, the Cook Islands pair came out on top, winning 21-19, 21-14, and evening the tie at 2-2, setting up a decisive final match.
MATCH 5
It all came down to the final match, where Claude and Victor Simpson of the Cook Islands played against Kévin Durand and Lyam Sargito from New Caledonia. The New Caledonia duo showed their composure and clinched the tie with a 21-15, 21-15 victory, securing a 3-2 win for New Caledonia.
New Caledonia’s 3-2 victory was a testament to their grit and teamwork, as they fought back after losing the first two matches. The Cook Islands gave a strong performance but ultimately fell short in the final boys’ doubles match.
Both teams showed great potential, with New Caledonia coming out on top in this exciting and closely contested tie.
Northern Marianas vs. Guam
Northern Marianas claimed a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Guam in today’s U15 mixed team match, with standout performances across all five disciplines. Despite being a much younger team, Guam showed great promise and fought valiantly in each match.
MATCH 1
In the women’s singles, Kaela Takeda of Northern Marianas faced Khloe Catacutan of Guam in the girls’ singles. Catacutan’s determination and skill led her to an impressive victory, as she battled through the games to put Guam on the board, taking the first point of the tie.
MATCH 2
Next up, Evan Seguritan of Northern Marianas took on Tyler Wang of Guam in the boys’ singles. Seguritan’s consistent play and powerful smashes earned him a decisive win, leveling the tie at 1-1.
MATCH 3
The girls’ doubles match featured Danielle Joson and Breanna Lopez of Northern Marianas against Candice Pan and Serina Zhao from Guam. Guam’s duo showed remarkable teamwork and resilience, pulling off a well-fought win to give Guam a 2-1 lead in the tie.
MATCH 4
Benjamin Cai and Thaddaeus Tolentino of Northern Marianas faced Ryan Koo and Tyler Wang of Guam in the boys’ doubles. The Northern Marianas pair kept their composure and ultimately emerged victorious, leveling the score at 2-2 and setting up an exciting mixed doubles decider.
MATCH 5
Evan Seguritan and Breanna Lopez of Northern Marianas played against Noah Lu and Serina Zhao of Guam in the mixed doubles. Seguritan and Lopez secured the win for Northern Marianas with a commanding 21-15, 21-9 victory, clinching the tie 3-2.
Northern Marianas’ 3-2 victory was hard-earned, and the young Guam team gave a valiant effort throughout the match. Despite being the younger team, Guam’s players showed a lot of potential, particularly in the girls’ doubles and mixed doubles. This match was a great display of the future of badminton in the region, with Northern Marianas edging out the win, but Guam certainly left their mark with their tenacity and skill.
COMING UP:
The VICTOR Oceania Individual Championships kick off tomorrow, 13 Feb, at 10AM NZDT.
You can learn more about the event here: https://bit.ly/VOC25MQ
