Pictured: Bree Wright, Australia. Photo Credit: Badminton Photo, James Varghese Para badminton is Bree Wright’s (née Mellberg) latest addition to a string of sporting accolades. As a junior, she excelled in gymnastics and diving, having represented Australia at the FINA World Junior Diving Championships in 2008. She retired two years later and in 2013, was…
Dorna Longbut (pictured second from left) prepares to make her Para badminton debut In 2020, four players made history as they became the first players to represent Papua New Guinea at an international badminton tournament – the VICTOR Oceania Para Badminton Championships in Ballarat, Australia. Jerome Bunge, David Joe Kaniku, Danny Ten and Nelly Leva…
In April, Nathan Tang proved he was a force to be reckoned with at the VICTOR Oceania Championships 2022. The 32-year-old was celebrating his tenth anniversary at the Continental Championships and it proved to be one of his best yet. The men’s singles specialist ousted the top seed on route to his first final and…
Earlier this year, a contingent of Australian Para badminton players travelled to compete in the 4th Fazza Dubai Para Badminton International 2022. It was their first match back on the international stage since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with the exception of Grant Manzoney and Caitlin Dransfield who had qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games…
Photo Credit: Badminton Photo Few athletes can claim qualification for five consecutive Commonwealth Games. However, New Zealand’s Oliver Leydon-Davis has achieved the mean feat as he prepares to wear the fern once again in Birmingham at the end of this month. His impressive record started at the Pune 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games, followed by Delhi…
Earlier this year, Badminton Oceania announced the return of the Oceania Tour 2022. The initiative is linked to the Badminton Oceania Player Development programme (supported by the Badminton World Federation) and aims to encourage players to support Oceania events by offering the opportunity to win prize money to support future training or competition costs. Originally,…
When Carrie Wilson walked into Ballarat Badminton Stadium in February 2020 to compete in her first Continental Championships, little did she know that she would be leaving with a gold medal. The New Zealander benefitted from the Female Para Player Participation Grant to assist her competition and quickly rose to the occasion. She topped her…
BWF MEDIA UPDATE The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has confirmed that the BARFOOT & THOMPSON New Zealand Open 2022 scheduled for 22-27 November, has been cancelled. Badminton New Zealand concluded that it was no longer feasible for them to host their tournament this year due to organisational complications coming out of COVID-19. The New Zealand…
Pictured: Tiffany Ho, Australia. Photo Credit: Badminton Photo, Erika Sawauchi. Australia’s Tiffany Ho will be making her Commonwealth Games debut later this month in Birmingham. Competing in the biggest tournament of her career is a daunting, yet exciting opportunity, but she will not be alone when finding her feet as a debutant. Team Australia is…
Selina Seau made her international debut at the VICTOR Oceania Para Badminton Championships 2020, where she was Fiji’s sole representative. She will be flying the flag solo once again as she returns to the Continental Championships later this month. There was little opportunity for her to compete in between the two tournaments following the COVID-19…