Badminton Oceania is pleased to confirm Badminton Geelong as the host of the VICTOR Oceania Championships and the Pacific under 17 Invitation Team Challenge in February 2024.
The Oceania Championships fall within the Olympic qualification period and present a perfect opportunity for players to gain valuable world ranking points towards qualification on the Road to Paris.
The tournament will attract around 200 players and support staff from within the Oceania region.
The winner of the Men’s and Women’s Team Championships will represent Oceania at the prestigious TOTALENERGIES BWF Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in Chengdu, China in late April.
Badminton Geelong President Peter Brown said his dedicated team was honoured to have been awarded the rights to host the Oceania Championships and Pacific Under 17 Team Challenge 2024.
“This fantastic event has such a rich history within the Oceania region and the Geelong Badminton community cannot wait to be a part of it,” Brown said.
“We welcome everyone to our city for what’s going to be a thrilling week on the badminton court.
“Between matches players, officials and spectators can visit the great tourism sites that the City of Geelong has to offer such as the waterfront, our museums, and the Bellarine Peninsula.”
Badminton Geelong Manager Naman Bhardwaj said he was extremely proud and excited to host the twin events.
“We will aim to provide the best overall event experience to everyone involved in the tournament – players, coaches, managers, staff, volunteers or spectators,” Bhardwaj said.
“This event will improve Badminton Geelong’s visibility on an international level and its legacy will re-ignite participation of the sport in the local community.
Badminton Oceania President Loke Poh Wong said he was delighted to return to regional Victoria after the successful staging of the inaugural Oceania Para-Badminton and Australian Para-Badminton International tournaments in 2018.
“Badminton Geelong is very motivated to make the player experience highly memorable as they host their first-ever Oceania Championship,” Wong said.
“We can’t wait to head to Geelong to watch some of the best Oceania badminton players in action, while also enjoying the hospitality of the City of Greater Geelong.”
Badminton Victoria President Rochelle Liyanage said she was pleased the Oceania Championships were once again being played in regional Victoria after the success of the 2022 Individual Championships and Para-Badminton Championships and the 2020 Championships in Ballarat.
“The VICTOR Oceania Championships and the Pacific under 17 Invitation Team Challenge in February 2024 provide the Victorian badminton community with another opportunity to showcase our dedication to running international events,” Liyanage said.
“Geelong is a fantastic city, and we trust that all the players, officials, and spectators will enjoy their time there.”
Founded in 1946, Badminton Geelong’s current venue in Norlane currently has six international standard courts and has been an integral home to Olympic and Commonwealth players such as Judy Nyirati, Julie McDonald, Michaela Wise, Wendy Shinners, Darren McDonald, Craig Booley, Mark Synot and Max Williams.
The week in Geelong begins with the Oceania Open Individual Championships from February 12-15, followed by the Men’s and Women’s Team Championships from February 16-18.
Being held simultaneously is the Pacific Under 17 training camp from February 14-15, followed by the Team Challenge from February 16-18.
Attendance is by invitation only to Pacific Member Associations who are a part of the Badminton Oceania player development programme, continuing from the success of the U15 camp and team competition in Auckland, New Zealand earlier this year.
This initiative is for players to gain their first exposure to international badminton, by playing it alongside the Oceania Championships as it provides the opportunity to see international badminton at a higher level.
Event details:
Dates:
Oceania Championships (individual events): 12-15 February
Oceania Men’s and Women’s Team Championships 16-18 February
Pacific U17 Training Camp 14-15 February
Pacific U17 Team Challenge 16-18 February
Host Venue:
Badminton Geelong
Leisuretime Sports Precinct, 262 Anakie Rd, Norlane VIC 3214
Contact Details:
Badminton Oceania – Julie Carrel.
julie@badmintonoceania.org ph. +64 21 760327
Badminton Geelong – Naman Bhardwaj
namanb@badmintongeelong.asn.au ph.+61 451 103190
