A month in China has given New Zealand’s Josephine Zhao a fresh perspective ahead of her third BWF World Junior Championships.
While many players spent the final weeks before the world championships refining their preparations at home, Josephine took a different path.
The New Zealand representative travelled to Guangzhou, China, where she spent 10 days training at the Lin Dan & Xie Xingfang Badminton Super Training Camp, as part of the Badminton Oceania Player Development Tier 1 targeted support programme. It’s an opportunity she says has broadened both her skills and understanding of the game.
From 15-24 August, Josephine trained twice daily alongside players from different backgrounds and playing styles, receiving personalised feedback from the camp’s coaching staff.
“It was a really enjoyable experience, and I got to meet lots of new people,” she said. “I really appreciated how much effort the coaches put into giving us individual feedback.”
According to Josephine, the coaches took time to understand each athlete’s strengths and weaknesses before offering detailed advice on how they could improve.
The experience did not end there.
After completing the training camp, Josephine was invited to join the Xiamen Sports Training Team from 1-11 September, giving her a glimpse into the life of full-time athletes in one of badminton’s strongest nations.
Training alongside and learning from Chinese players exposed her to a more intensive environment and a different approach to high-performance sport.
At the same time, Josephine began studying International Business at Huaqiao University in Xiamen. While she is working hard in her chosen area, she’s considering a move into a sports-related field to complement her passion for badminton.
Looking back on the past month, Josephine believes the greatest benefit has been the new perspective she has gained.
Throughout her time in China, she experienced different coaching styles, training methods and tactical approaches, helping her identify areas of her own game she wants to continue developing.
“I’ve also learned the importance of being open to feedback and adapting to different training environments,” she said. “Moving forward, I want to keep learning from different coaches, improve my consistency and decision-making on court, and become a more confident and well-rounded player.”
She will soon put those lessons to the test.
The 2026 BWF World Junior Championships in Cairo, Egypt, will mark Josephine’s third appearance at the event, and she is eager to measure her progress against the world’s best junior players.
In the mixed team competition, her goal is for New Zealand to compete with confidence, support one another and represent their country with pride. Individually, she hopes to better her previous performances and discover how far her development can take her.
“Most importantly, I want to enjoy the experience, learn as much as I can, and make all the hard work and training worthwhile,” she added.
The BWF World Junior Championships will take place in Cairo, Egypt, from 5-17 October 2026. Oceania will be represented by New Zealand and Australia.
