In a match that had the crowd holding its breath, Thomas Slade and Regina Edward delivered a performance to remember at the VICTOR Oceania Para Badminton Championships, overcoming Lachlan Boulton and Amonrat Jamporn (AUS) in a three-game thriller that will go down as one of the tournament’s most gripping encounters.
The opening game saw Slade (NZL) and Edward (PNG) settle quickly into their rhythm, using smart placement and sharp movement to take control. They claimed the first game 21-16, looking composed and confident. But Boulton and Jamporn weren’t going down without a fight.
In the second game, the Australian duo came out with renewed energy, pushing the pace and forcing errors from their opponents. They surged ahead and looked set to level the match. But Slade and Edward weren’t finished. From 16-19 down, they launched a late comeback, flying across the court and putting their bodies on the line in a desperate bid to close it out in two. The rallies grew longer, the tension palpable. But Boulton and Jamporn held firm, edging the game 23-21 to force a decider.
With everything on the line, the third game was a test of nerve, stamina, and sheer willpower. Slade and Edward dug deep, finding another gear when it mattered most. With the crowd behind them and history within reach, they powered through to a 21-17 win, sealing their place in the final, and something even more significant.
For Regina Edward, the victory marked a historic milestone: she booked her spot into tomorrow’s finals and became Papua New Guinea’s first female medalist at the Oceania Para Badminton Championships.
“It was very challenging during this game,” she said, tears of joy streaming down her face. “It is my first time going into the finals! I was so happy, I was happy sad!”
She also paid tribute to her partner, Thomas Slade. “He just taught me so many skills during the games,” she said, smiling through her emotions.
Slade, equally elated, reflected on the match and their partnership. “It was a really enjoyable match, it was really tense,” he said. “It’s always nice to come out on the right side of those ones. I really enjoyed the match because it was close and I played with a really good partner.”
Despite this being their first tournament together, the pair showed remarkable chemistry. “Regina’s movement around the court is really proactive, which makes my job really easy,” Slade added. “Our plan was to play soft, try and get the shuttle to drop, and make our opponents hit upwards. That gave us the opportunities to pick our shots.”
Watching proudly from the sidelines was Wojtek Czyz, Paralympian and coach of the PNG team. His connection to the players runs deep, having worked with them during a training camp earlier this year in Papua New Guinea.
“When Badminton Oceania reached out to ask if I’d coach the team at the Oceania Championships, it was an easy yes,” he said. “I saw the potential, and now I’m just enjoying it. I’m absolutely passionate, I do it because I love it, and I love these guys.”
He continued, “To see them growing, becoming better badminton players, and then to celebrate a win and see the tears on their faces, it’s incredible.
What I really value is Badminton Oceania and Badminton Australia, they’re taking the next step to have two tournaments together with able bodies and people with disabilities. That’s the next level, that’s inclusion. We just saw a semifinal where able-bodied players were saying, ‘What the heck!’ This is where we want to be, this is where we need to go”
As the finals approach, Slade and Edward’s story is already one of the defining moments of the tournament. For Regina Edward, it’s a personal triumph. For Papua New Guinea, it’s a historic breakthrough. And for the sport of para badminton in Oceania, it’s a powerful reminder of how far the game has come and how much further it can go.
OTHER NOTABLE RESULTS:
The other XD SL3 SU5 semifinal was every bit as exciting. Over three games, the Australian pair of Michael Simpkins and Celine Vinot tussled with Brandon Poon (AUS) and Carrie Wilson (NZL). The tension was high, but eventually the Trans-Tasman duo pulled ahead to a narrow victory.
Final score: 21-16, 22-20, 24-22.
In a close WH2 battle, Grant Manzoney outlasted Mischa Ginns in an All-Australian semifinal. Manzoney booked his place in the final with a 13-21, 21-12, 21-14 victory.
Papua New Guinea’s Issac Ume bested Australia’s Sarah Keenahan 21-11, 21-8 to secure a spot in tomorrow’s SH6 singles final.
