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Six-time Oceania champion, Wendy Chen, overcoming anxiety with goal-setting

“It was difficult to adjust to new lifestyle at the beginning, lives just kind of stopped all of a sudden” The sudden interruption of the COVID-19 pandemic had athletes all around the world rethinking their choices. For Australia’s six-time continental champion, Wendy Chen, a strategically planned tournament calendar was quickly made redundant. Despite the six…

Oceania players connect online in search of training, tactics, community and kindness

Seven Para badminton players extended their isolation bubble via Zoom conference call this week, connecting wheelchair athletes from New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia to maintain the community spirit which thrives on Oceania’s Para badminton scene. Adapting to the COVID-19 era, Papua New Guinea’s coach (Brian Karo) joined Badminton Oceania’s Coaching and Development Officer…

The landscape and peace of the island helps history-maker, Louis Beaubois, build on World Junior Championships preparations

Pictured: Tahiti’s Louis Beaubois holding a #WhiteCard to celebrate International Day of Sport Development and Peace Louis Beaubois made history last year alongside Teiva Politi as they became the first juniors from Tahiti to compete at the BWF World Junior Championships 2019. The recently turned 18-year-old has every intention of competing again this year as…

VICTOR announced as first badminton brand to take the AirShuttle to market

VICTOR is also a proud sponsor of Badminton Oceania; collaborating on international events and development projects to provide equipment and apparel. Badminton Oceania will be including two tubes of the VICTOR AirShuttle to each Shuttle Time school set distributed to our Pacific Island members once the restrictions of COVID-19 are lifted. Similarly, the Oceania member…

Tinabora and Tietiera empowering women in Kiribati on International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

Teitiria Utimawa and Tinabora Takeiaki are jumping for joy as their inspiring success is rippling across the Pacific to their home country Kiribati, where more women are being inspired to play badminton. Having based themselves in Melbourne over the last year with coach, Dean Lewis, the girls have stormed into the Oceania badminton scene. With…

From pilot to performance: Tonga celebrating ninth year of Shuttle Time on International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

In 2011, Tonga became the first country in the world to pilot the BWF Shuttle Time programme. Since it’s inception nine years ago, the initiative has gone on to provide communities and schools with badminton equipment and platforms to learn in over 130 countries. At the time, Badminton Oceania’s Development Manager, Nadia Bleaken, was new…