Badminton Australia and the State and Territory badminton organisations continue to closely monitor the impacts of COVID-19 (Coranavirus) and monitor the advice provided by the Australian and State/Territory Governments.

The situation is constantly evolving, the most up to date advice and information pertaining to sport activity can be found at the AIS webpage and more general information at the Federal Government webpage dedicated to providing evidence based, real time advice in a number of areas, including travelling to sporting events, athletes arriving or returning to Australia, and FAQ’s relating to COVID-19.

The website also links to other sources of information including the Australian Government Department of Health and WHO situation reports.

Badminton Australia’s priority is to provide a safe and healthy environment for all participants in our sport. To ensure this we ask that people in the badminton community do not participate in badminton activities if …

• you have been in any of the declared zones in the past two weeks (check here and include high / moderate risk zones)
• have been in contact with anyone who has been travelling in those zones, or if you are concerned you have been have been exposed to the virus
• have the slightest feeling of illness – i.e. colds and other flu like symptoms.

We ask everyone to practice high levels of hygiene health (washing hands, sanitizer etc) which are widely considered by health experts to be key to disease prevention and management. We also ask that you avoid physical contact with others.

Keeping our badminton community healthy over the next few months will be our priority. While it is an uncertain time we will take a careful and conservative approach and work closely with State/Territory Badminton organisations, Federal Government, AIS, AOC and Paralympics Australia.

Thank you for your patience and support and we will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available.

Jamie Parsons

Chief Executive Officer

Badminton Australia

***END***

Contact

Badminton Australia

15/8 Techno Park Drive, Williamstown

(03) 9397 4722

Please see a message below from Stuart Borrie regarding Frequently Asked Questions related to International Tournaments associated with the Badminton World Federation including the Olympic Games.

Dear Members and Continental Confederations

The BWF has compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions to deal with ongoing concerns regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the different impacts this has on various groups within the badminton community.

BWF is continuing to monitor all official updates on COVID-19 with the health, safety and wellbeing of players, their entourage, fans, officials and all other concerned parties as the top priority.

_____________________________________________________

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Q: Where can I find valid information on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) related to international badminton tournaments?

• A: On the BWF Corporate Website under the ‘Announcements’ section: https://corporate.bwfbadminton.com/.
• This will be updated with new information as required and this COVID-19 Updates section will stay at the top of the announcements list.

2. Q: Where can general information be found regarding COVID-19 on how players, officials or Member Associations should deal with the situation?

• A: Everyone should seek advice from their own health authorities in their country and be sure to receive updates through official sources / the BWF.
• BWF is following the advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
• BWF has issued statements and updates on the situation related to COVID-19 and the impact it has on the badminton community (see list of BWF Updates and links below).
• These statements also include general advice on how to act in relation to COVID-19 when travelling to tournaments and gives guidelines on general preventative measures.

3. Q: What advice has BWF given to hosts of tournaments?

• A: BWF, Continental Confederations and hosts of all BWF-sanctioned tournaments are in close contact regarding the COVID-19 situation.
• The objective is that tournaments are staged as scheduled unless public health authorities in that country provide a directive to not stage the tournament.
• BWF has provided hosts with guidelines to help them prepare and to ensure that contingency and safety plans are in place in the event that something happens.
• All hosts are diligently working to secure the health and safety of all participants at these tournaments.
• BWF is also working with Continental Confederations and hosts to ensure that information is provided to participants on local conditions specific to the country where the tournament is hosted.

4. Q: Will players entered in tournaments be automatically withdrawn if a tournament is postponed or cancelled?

• A: All players will automatically be withdrawn from the tournament by the BWF. No further action is required.

5. Q: Will withdrawal fees apply if a tournament is postponed or cancelled close to the tournament date?

• A: No withdrawal fees apply. This is irrespective of the time the tournament is postponed or cancelled.

6. Q: Will players have to enter again into a postponed tournament if they were previously entered for the originally scheduled tournament?

• A: They will have to enter again once the postponed tournament opens up for entry. A revised prospectus with tournament information and new entry timelines will be sent to all Member Associations in due course once a new tournament date has been agreed with the hosts.

7. Q: If BWF World Tour tournaments – Super 1000, Super 750 and Super 500 – are cancelled, how will this affect Player Commitment regulations?

• A: If Super 1000 or Super 750 level tournaments are cancelled, no fines apply to players for not being able to play in the tournament.
• If a Super 500 level is cancelled, BWF will on a case by case basis consider if commitment regulations will be adjusted for particular players affected by the cancellation.
• Tournament cancellations at other levels are not related to the mandatory participation commitments so this will not lead to any changes to these rules.

8. Q: How will the postponement and cancellation of tournaments affect the Olympic Qualification period. Are there any changes being planned?

• A: BWF is not, at this point in time, planning to make any adjustments to the regulations related to the Olympic Qualification period.
• It is unfortunate that some tournaments have been postponed or cancelled and BWF appreciates that these tournaments have been part of players’ plans to seek qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and other tournaments where qualification is required (such as the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals).
• Any change to the existing Olympic qualification rules will affect different players both positively or negatively, and with the present level of postponement and cancellation, BWF does not believe that making changes is appropriate.
• The postponement or cancellation of tournaments is not within the control of hosts, BWF or the badminton community, but is caused by ongoing developments as a result of COVID-19 in different areas of the world and decisions will be taken based on information provided by public health authorities.

9. Q: Can players enter into other tournaments where the entry deadline has passed?

• A: All entry deadlines apply as usual and entry deadlines will not be extended for any tournaments due to postponement or cancellation of other tournaments.

10. Q: What is the status of BWF tournaments on the calendar? Will more tournaments be postponed or cancelled?

• A: To date, four tournaments have been postponed or cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak:
  1. CIPUTRA HANOI – YONEX SUNRISE Vietnam International Challenge 2020 (International Challenge)
  2. Lingshui China Masters 2020 (BWF Tour Super 100)
• Polish Open 2020 (International Challenge)

1. YONEX German Open 2020 (HSBC BWF World Tour Super 300)

• One tournament, the Fajr Badminton International Challenge 2020 (International Challenge), has been taken out of the Olympic Qualification process due to security risks and general travel advice from a significant number of governments around the world against travelling to Iran.
• All other tournaments on the BWF calendar within the Olympic qualification period are scheduled to run. BWF and the hosts are closely monitoring the situation in countries where scheduled tournaments are hosted and will inform the badminton community immediately if the status of these tournaments change. No absolute reassurances can be given on any potential negative impacts to scheduled tournaments as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

11. Q: What is the latest date a tournament can be postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19?

• A: There is no “latest date” in place for a tournament to be postponed or cancelled. All hosts intend to run their tournaments as scheduled.
• If COVID-19 develops in a way where national public health authorities provide directives against the tournament being hosted, the host and BWF will have to take necessary decisions and actions at that point in time. No absolute reassurances can be given on any potential negative impacts to scheduled tournaments as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

12. Q: What about players who have already travelled to tournaments? Are there places for them to practise at the venue of postponed or cancelled tournaments, or other locations?

• A: Players and teams already travelling to tournaments may be affected by the postponement or cancellation of a tournament, and may need a place to practise for a period of time until going to the next tournament.
• BWF advises that all players and teams make contact with the tournament host of the postponed or cancelled tournament, or the next upcoming tournament host, to request practice courts. BWF will be in touch with all hosts and encourage them to assist players and teams in the best possible way.

13. Q: Can players and Member Associations receive refunds on flight tickets and hotel accommodation if a tournament is postponed or cancelled?

• A: The postponement or cancellation is not within the control of tournament hosts, but is caused by the COVID-19 outbreak (therefore a Force Majeure).
• Tournament hosts cannot be held liable for costs of flight tickets and hotel accommodation booked by participating players, Member Associations and other participants.
• BWF advises that participants try to get refunds on flights tickets from the relevant travel agency or airline (this is often dependent on how the original flight ticket booking has been made). During this challenging and slightly uncertain period of time, it should be considered that flight bookings be made where it is possible to cancel the ticket and have the payment refunded.

Regarding hotel accommodation booked through the tournament host, the booking conditions informed by the host will apply. All tournament hosts are expected to try their best to mitigate against the unfortunate circumstances caused by a postponement or cancellation and hosts should seek to discuss solutions with official tournament hotels. This will have to be handled on a case by case basis, and, if it cannot be secured that prepaid amounts are refunded, participants may be liable to pay full amounts in line with the booking terms informed in the prospectus

**END**

Contact

Badminton Australia

15/8 Techno Park Drive, Williamstown

(03) 9397 4722

*** END ***

One of the biggest events on the Badminton Australia calendar finished on Saturday with the Australian National Championships taking place in Launceston, Tasmania at the Elphin Sports Complex. The individual championships see the best of Australian talent compete against one another for the Australian title across five disciplines. Although timed to run in conjunction with the Ede Clendinnen Trophy, the Australian National Championships are for individuals to show their skills independent of their state teams, allowing for some surprise names to get up as was the case this year!

Starting at 10AM Saturday morning top seeded Simon Leung and Gronya Somerville took on Yingxiang Lin and Lee-Yen Khoo. Prior to Saturday Yingxiang Lin and Lee-Yen Khoo fought their way to the final by taking down second seeds Mitchell Wheller and Wendy Chen in three games. Despite Lin and Khoo’s great victory the day before, Leung and Somerville’s experience saw them through, taking the first game 25-23 before easily dispatching of their opponents 21-12 in the second and claiming the Mixed Doubles Australian Title for 2020. The pair have been playing internationally in an effort to gain qualification to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and have done everything they can and continue to put their best case forward for selection.

Following the mixed doubles was the Women’s singles match between number one seed Wendy Chen and third seed Tiffany Ho. Tiffany had a fantastic run of three game wins on her way to the final, with victories over two of Badminton Australia’s highly touted National Junior Squad members Kaitlyn Ea and Angela Yu. Tiffany also was able to snatch victory over the number two seed Louisa Ma in three games, setting up a tantalising match up with Wendy Chen. While Wendy’s first match on her path to the final against Yingzi Jiang went to three games, she managed to dominate her other two opponents in matches lasting less than 30 minutes. Although this was shaping up to be a game of inches Wendy was able to show her class over Tiffany, who no doubt would have been feeling her lead up matches in her legs, by taking the match convincingly 21-11 and 21-12. Wendy has again established herself as Australia’s leading Women’s Singles player and continues her impressive run of victories including six consecutive titles at the Oceania Championships.

Next up on finals day was the Men’s singles where fourth seed Jacob Schueler faced off against unseeded Yingxiang Lin. Yingxiang’s campaign saw him take tidy two game victories in all matches, although Yingxiang did faulter slightly against Nathan Tang going to three games, but was able to compose himself to take the win. Jacob saw an opposite run to Yingxiang with two of his three lead up matches going to three games, all of which were longer than 45 minutes, Jacob also played a 53-minute epic in the mixed doubles between his singles campaign. Coming ino the final Jacob had racked up in immense 134 minutes over three games while Yingxiang totalled 131 minutes across his four MS games. Unfortunately for Jacob, Yignxiang proved too strong taking the match in two, however Jacob put up a significant fight with the games going 17-21, 19-21. A brave performance from both players!

The Women’s doubles final was up next, Badminton Australia Junior Squad alumnus Victoria He paired with current Badminton Australia Junior Squad member Angela Yu to take on two powerhouse players Gronya Somerville and Wendy Chen. A last-minute injury to her regular partner Setyana Mapasa, Gronya Somerville quickly found rhythm with Chen and the pair saw little challenge throughout their campaign to the final. With the field being smaller the pair played only two matches prior to the final, taking both games convincingly for a total game time of 55 minutes, 84 points for and 51 points against. Similarly, for the challengers a total of 52 minutes, 84 points for and an impressive 40 points against suggested a close encounter come the final. However, the number one seeds, Chen and Somerville, managed to stave off any upset from the young pair taking the match 21-17, 21-11 in under 30 minutes.

The final match for the day was the Men’s doubles which saw number one seeds Mitchell Wheller and Simon Leung playing off against Ming Lim and Tran Hoang Pham for the title. Both pairs handled their matches in the lead up to the final match with confidence and consistency, no matches went to three games. Having to play an extra match didn’t seem to phase Lim and Pham as they made their way into the final, taking the first game 21-16 but Wheller and Leung fought back to take the second in a tighter affair 21-18. The final game went to the unseeded Lim and Pham as they had in the first 21-16, wrapping up a successful campaign for the pair.

A big congratulations to all the players, a tournament that saw upsets, gritty victories and fantastic badminton play from the best in Australia. As with all tournaments this one could not have gone ahead without the time, dedication and efforts from all our volunteers, technical officials and coaches. On behalf of the players Badminton Australia would like to thank all of those who chipped in and contributed to the another successful Australian National Championships.

Contact

Badminton Australia

15/8 Techno Park Drive, Williamstown

(03) 9397 4722

*** END ***

Australia’s premier National Teams trophy, the Ede Clendinnen, was decided yesterday between to two top seeded teams. The three-day tournament Began on the 23^rd of February, at the Elphin Sports Centre in Launceston.

Day 1

The Queensland team took on NSW Thunder where Queensland were up to the task, needing only 7 matches to take the tie with strong showings from Olympic hopefuls Wendy Chen, Simon Leung and Mitchell Wheller. Queensland were also able to use Angela and Jack Yu to great effect, combating efforts by fellow National Junior Squad players Majan Almazan and Rio Agustino. Ultimately Queensland won the tie 7-3 with NSW taking wins in the MS2, WD1 and XD2.

On the other courts were the defending champions Victoria who took on the hosts for 2020 Tasmania. The Tasmanian team was a mix of stalwart players like Badminton Tasmania president Brent Munday and Rowan Henderson, both notching up their 19^th Ede Clendinnen championship, and young players. Unfortunately for the hosts, the Victorian Rebels were able to hold steady and win 8 of the 10 matches available in the tie. Notable performances from the Tasmanian team included Abigail Rothery taking the WS2 over Grace Hanratty and a thrilling battle in the WD1 where Meg Graham and Leesa Grundy were able to hold steady in a three-game thriller against Kaitlyn Ea and Lee-Yen Khoo.

Day 2

Queensland continued to show why their seeding as number two in the tournament was well justified taking a dominant win over third seeds Tasmania 10 matches to 0, and perhaps sending some waves of uncertainty to the defending champions Victoria.

At the same time the NSW Thunder chalked up their first tie victory defeating the WA Wasps 6 matches to 4. In what was a tie that went right down to the last match both teams traded wins across the first six matches before NSW were able to post back to back wins in the WD2, MD2 and WD1. Across all 10 matches, five went to three games with the MS 1 between Seng Low (NSW) and Yinxiang Lin running just shy of an hour (57 minutes). It was no doubt a fiery match up and maybe signs of a rivalry to come?

After their well fought victory against the WA Wasps, the NSW Thunder came up against defending champions and number 1 seeds the Victorian Rebels. The Thunder held their own trading wins with the Rebels for the first 6 matches and upset victories to Majan Almazan (NSW) over Olympic hopeful Louisa Ma (VIC), Tiffany Ho (NSW) over Yingzi Jiang (VIC). However, the Rebels held firm and steadied to take the final four matches convincingly.

Queensland’s second venture onto the court on day two saw them match up against the WA Wasps and take the tie 8 matches to 2 with a dominant 17-minute performance from Angela Yu against Alicia Xu, the equal fastest singles match of the entire tournament. The Wasps put up brave fights in the MS2, MD2, WD 2 and XD1, all of these going to three games. The win put Queensland in prime position to snatch the Ede Clendinnen Shield and prevent the Victorian Rebels from back to back victories.

Day 3

The final day of competition with NSW, Tas, Vic and WA all playing their final ties before play offs.

Taking on the locals, NSW Thunder put together an overpowering performance against Tasmania, taking the tie 9 matches to 1, the fastest match of the tournament went down in the WD2 with the pairing of Tiffany Ho and Jennifer Tam powering through Amelia Needer and Annalea Reid in 14 minutes 21-3, 21-4. Brent Munday and Meg Graham were able to salvage a win in the final match, taking down Michael Lim and Victoria He in a three-game epic 22-20, 21-23, 21-15. With the win over Tasmania NSW Thunder locked in their third-place finish at the 2020 Clendinnen Trophy.

Similar to Queensland’s performance against WA on day two, the Rebels were able to secure their play off for the Ede Clendinnen Trophy with an 8 to 2 win over the Wasps. The Wasps were able to take victories in the MS 1 and WD 1 in an otherwise dominant Victorian performance.

Finals

The battle for fourth place was on between the host team Tasmania and the WA Wasps and in what began as a great contest looking to go down to the wire, the Wasps were able to pull away. Six of the 10 matches went through to three games and the majority ending in a final game with 3 points or less between winner and loser. The Wasps were able to take the tie in the ninth match between XD 2 pair Crystal Diep and Jason Lee defeating William Ponsonby and Leesa Grundy after a shaky start 10-21, 22-20, 21-19.

With the bottom three placings all tied up this left the two undefeated teams to take on each other for the Ede Clendinnen Shield. The defending champions Victoria had hit bumps on their journey and appeared fallible when compared to Queensland impressive run into finals day, the contest was shaping up to be one that would go down to the wire and it did not disappoint. The Victorian Rebels were able to take the first three matches, putting themselves in a strong position to have the trophy returned to Victoria, however Queensland were led strongly by consecutive six-time Oceania WS Champion and Olympic hopeful Wendy Chen. Wendy was able to take a gritty three game win against Yingzi Jiang in the WS1 (21-18, 18-21, 21-15) and pair up with Angela Yu to take the WD 2 and putting Queensland right behind Victoria 3 matches to 2. It was Victoria’s men, Nathan Tang and Peter Yan, Ming Chuen Lim alongside Captain Coach Ashwant Gobinathan, who hit back with both MD pairs taking their wins respectively over their Queensland challengers. The match in the balance for Queensland to keep their hopes alive was the WD 1, Deyanire Angulo and Jessica Lim from Queensland had a task on their hands taking on Kaitlyn Ea and Gronya Somerville from Victoria. Unfortunately for the Queensland pair they were unable to take the win, and this meant that Victoria had won the Clendinnen trophy for 2020. Queensland however would not go down without a fight and the remaining two mixed doubles matches went their way leaving the overall tie scorecard at Victoria 6 – Queensland 4.

A big congratulations to all the teams involved, another fantastic tournament with plenty on the line for all teams. The tournament could not have gone ahead without the time dedication and efforts of all the volunteers, technical officials, coaches and team managers. On behalf of the players Badminton Australia would like to extend its gratitude for the tireless efforts from all of the parties involved.

Photo Credit: Paul Scrambler, The Examiner

Contact

Badminton Australia

15/8 Techno Park Drive, Williamstown

(03) 9397 4722

*** END ***

Australia’s rivalry with New Zealand at the Oceania Championships has continued in emphatic style and no doubt the chance for TOTAL BWF Thomas & Uber Cup qualification on the minds of both nations’ players before the start of play on Saturday. What ensued for both the Men’s and Women’s matches was nothing short of electric!

Men’s

The matches to decide the gold medal in the Men’s draw were filled with drama from the word go. Australia’s Anthony Joe (AJ) took on reigning men’s singles champion Abhinav Manota from NZ. AJ took a commanding lead up 10 – 4 through the midpoint of the first game, but Abhinav fought back to 16 all before the pair traded blows point for point through to 26-28 going the way of the Kiwi. Unfortunately, AJ was unable to keep the onslaught going in the second with Abhinav taking it 21-16.

No doubt spurred on by AJ’s valiant effort, both Jacob Schuler and Ying Xiang Lin were able to take wins against past and present Oceania Individual singles specialists Oscar Guo (2019 Champion) and Edward Lau (2020 runner-up). Wins in these two games put Australia ahead in the race for the gold medal and qualification rights to the Thomas Cup in May this year.

What came next was a tactical masterstroke by Coach Stuart Brehaut splitting 2016 Olympic pair Matt Chau and Sawan Serasinghe and stalwart pair Simon Leung and Mitchell Wheller. What resulted was a comprehensive victory for Matt Chau and Mitchell Wheller against Maia Phillips and Dylan Soedjasa, and in doing so securing the gold medal for Australia! Simon and Sawan had a similar victory and further cemented Australia bragging rights for another year in four of the five matches.

An outstanding result for our Men’s team who were able to show grit and determination to take the championships for a second year running and secure themselves a place at the TOTAL BWF Thomas Cup in Denmark in May this year.

Women’s

After seeing the Men’s team overcome the Kiwi’s for the gold medal the Australian’s Women’s team were out to do exactly the same and continue their amazing record of four consecutive trophies.

Women’s singles champion Wendy Chen was first up against long time rival Sally Fu, the two have faced off five times at these championships and this match was to prove their tightest yet! Both games went through to extension, Wendy took the first 26-24, the second 28-26 and extending her unbeaten record to put Australia in a good position to begin.

Next up was Lousia Ma, the Individual Championships runner-up, who was able to show composure and class in the second under the pressure of 3 match points from her opponent Shuanna Li. Lousia held steadied herself from 20-17 down to take the second game 22-20 and went on to take the third 21-15.

With the gold medal on the line the Kiwi’s needed a lift which came from Catelyn Rozario who was able to take the match from Tiffany Ho 21-18, 21-19. The result here left the gold medal hopes alive for NZ and with two matches to come it was shaping up to go either way. However, maybe inspired by the Men’s success in the morning Stuart Brehaut made the same call to split the dominant pair of Gronya Somerville and Setyana Mapasa, and BA Junior squad members Sylvina Kurniawan and Angela Yu. Again with shades of the events from the morning Mapasa and Kurniawan were able to comprehensively win their match against Erena Calder-Hawkins and Anona Pak, 21-11, 21-14.

The final match for bragging rights went the way of our Aussie’s with Gronya Somerville and Angela Yu dispatching of Sally Fu and Alyssa Tagle 21-15, 21-17. With this win the Women have booked their tickets to go along to the Uber Cup in Denmark in May and continue their amazing run of victories at the Oceania championships with their fifth consecutive win, well done ladies!!

Photo Credit: Badminton Oceania & Ballarat Badminton 

–

Contact

Badminton Australia

15/8 Techno Park Drive, Williamstown

(03) 9397 4722

*** END ***

For the first time ever the Para Badminton Championships were run alongside the Teams events and it proved a winning formula for event organisers. Although mixed results for our Aussie players, all were in agreeance that the tournament was a great success and a great way to showcase the rapid development of the Oceanic region’s Para Badminton skill!

An all Aussie affair in the WH1 with young gun Lochan Cowper taking on Richard John Davis who upset the number one seed Duke Trench-Thiedeman earlier in the semi-finals. The match was Lochan’s with a comprehensive win 21-14, 21-10.

In the WH2 a second all Australian final saw Grant Manzoney maintain his title from 2019 defeating Qambar Ali Akhteyari, affectionately known as ‘Ali’, 21-10, 21-7.

Luke Missen was able to defend his title in the SH6 classification, defeating newcomer David Joe Kaniku. Luke and 15-year-old playing partner Anjelina Melki were able to dispatch of the PNG pair in the double’s exhibition match, leaving Missen with two gold medals to his name for the 2020 Championships.

Other performances from our Australia Para Badminton payers included Para Badminton royalty Rod Rantall pairing up with up and coming star Celine Vinot. Unfortunately, the NZ pair of Corrie Robinson and Carrie Wilson were too strong taking the final 21-10, 21-19.

A great two days of competition for Oceania’s Para players and no doubt a great experience for everyone involved.

You can see the full results on Tournament Software here!

Contact

Badminton Australia

15/8 Techno Park Drive, Williamstown

(03) 9397 4722

*** END ***

THOMAS & UBER CUP FINALS 2020

In addition to the Badminton Australia Selection Policy (September 2017) and the Criteria in the Policy under clause (3c) the following specific matters will also apply for the athletes seeking consideration for selection to compete in the:

• Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 16 – 24 May 2020 in Aarhus, Denmark.

The athletes who will be considered for selection are those who complete the online nomination form on the BA website and return to BA by Friday 21 February 2020. https://form.jotform.co/92787477256879

BWF from 1 January 2018 changed the regulation for representation in the Oceania Team Championship to also include players that do not hold an Australian passport. For those players, it is a requirement to have held an Australian registered BWF number for minimum 3 years.

ELIGIBILITY

• Have submitted an online nomination form
• Must be in good standing of a BA affiliated club / association
• Meets the BWF requirement of international representation. Please note that the BWF from 1
  January 2018 changed the regulation to include players that do not hold an Australian passport. For those players, it is a requirement to have held an Australian registered BWF number for minimum 3 years.
• 6. International Representation 6.1 – 6.2 – 6.3 – 6.4 – 6.5 – 6.6 https://extranet.bwfbadminton.com/docs/document- system/81/1466/1471/Section%205.1%20_%20General%20Competitions%20Regulations.pdf

THE OBJECTIVE

• To pick teams with the best chances to perform within the Thomas and Uber format.
• To pick teams that include development player(s) with a 2022 Commonwealth Games and
  2024 Olympic Games target.

SPECIFIC SELECTION CRITERIA

In conjunction with the non-performance criteria, the specific selection criteria will be:

• International tournament performances – both wins and losses. (Within the last 6 months)
• National tournament performances – both wins and losses. (Within the last 6 months)
• Players must have demonstrated a consistent approach to training and competing at National
  and International level within the last 6 months.
• Players must have nominated to compete in the Oceania qualifying Thomas/Uber tournament
  in Ballarat in 10th to 11th February 2020.
• Participation in 2020 Australian National Championships and Ede Clendinnen Shield is
  mandatory.
• Players must make themselves available for their State/Territory for Clendinnen Shield. o Partnership considerations for doubles disciplines.

Development players can be selected after the following points:

• Potential and commitment for future success.
• International performances within the last six months.
• Performances at the National Individual Championship held in Launceston, Tasmania from 23
  – 29 February 2020.

KEY DATES

21 February 2020 – Deadline for nomination
13 March 2020 – Team announcement
17 May 2020 – Depart to Aarhus, Denmark
24 May 2020 – Return to Australia

COSTS

A player contribution may be required. Costs to be advised.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

Please note that official notification of selection is through written correspondence only. Final team selection will be posted on the Badminton Australia website.

*Photo Credit Badminton Oceania*

With the VICTOR Oceania Individual Championships finishing up yesterday and the Team and Para Championships kicking off today (15/02) it’s time we take stock quickly of what’s been a successful campaign for some of our Aussie players!

Women’s Singles

An extremely exciting and impressive all Australian final with Wendy Chen taking on compatriot Lousia Ma. Both are fighting to be Australia’s top placed female leading into the final month of Olympic Qualification and no doubt a high-pressure match. A fierce and fast match in the early parts, both players being pushed to every side of the court and testing each other. It was the defending champion Wendy who took control of the match and at the same time making Oceania history by winning her sixth consecutive title, a feat unmatched across any other discipline in the history of the championships.

Hsuan-Yu Wendy Chen (AUS)[1] vs Louisa MA (AUS)[2] 21-15 21-11

Women’s Double’s

A straightforward match for our top ranked Women’s pair, Gronya Somerville and Setyana Mapasa, who dispatched of NZ rivals Sally Fu and Alyssa Tagle. The Australian pair took the match convincingly in two games, staving off a valiant effort to take their fourth consecutive Oceania WD title. No doubt a boost to their efforts over the past year in qualifying, now ranked 25^th overall on the BWF Road To Tokyo rankings and potentially sitting in a prime position to qualify in their own right for Tokyo. No doubt a great result to settle in to the final month of the Tokyo 2020 qualifying period.

Setyana Mapasa/Gronya Somerville (AUS) vs Sally Fu/Alyssa Tagle (NZL)[2] 21-9 21-10

Men’s Double’s

The pairing of Matt Chau and Sawan Serahinghe started strong taking out the first game, drawing from their previous Olympic experience to push them forward. The NZ pair countered with a measured and steady approach to counter in the second and force errors from our men. Putting up a valiant fight, and putting on arguably the match of the tournament, Matt and Sawan couldn’t overcome the consistent pressure from the NZ pair going down in the third.

Oliver Leydon-Davis/Abhinav Manota (NZL)[2] vs Matthew Chau/Sawan Serasinghe (AUS) 18-21 21-9 21-14

Mixed Double’s

Another all Australian final, with the top seeded pairing of Leung/Somerville taking on the unseeded Pham/Kurniawan, it was a match that could have shown the underdogs character. Unfortunately for Pham/Kurniawan it was not to be with the top seeds putting on a voracious and technical performance, dispatching their opponents in a short 27 minutes. No doubt a victory that will contribute a lot to both confidence and the sometimes elusive points for Leung /Somerville who are chasing qualification for Tokoyo 2020.

Simon Wing Hang Leung/Gronya Somerville (AUS)[1] vs Tran Hoang Pham/Sylvina Kurniawan (AUS) 21-12 21-8

The Men’s Singles match was a play off for two NZ teams with our Australian Men bowing out earlier in the day. The VICTOR Oceania Individual Championships are now complete and Australians taking home three of the five pieces of silverware. Now are eyes are focused on the Para and Teams events which will be taking place across the next three days in Ballarat.

Follow the results on Tournament Software and you can watch all the action LIVE through our partners OVO!

**END**

Contact

Badminton Australia

15/8 Techno Park Drive, Williamstown

(03) 9397 4722

Today the Badminton World Federation (BWF) has released an update on it’s much anticipated AirBadminton Project. Badminton Australia is excited to gain access to the shuttles as it will no doubt make playing badminton even more accessible for more Australians. See below for the full update on AirBadminton and its prospects for release across 2020!

Dear Members and Continental Confederations

Please find attached a letter from the BWF President, Poul-Erik Høyer and an update on the AirBadminton Project.

 

1.       PROJECT UPDATE

We are happy to announce that BWF has signed an agreement with a manufacturer based in Chinese Taipei for the mass production of the AirShuttle.  The production process has already begun and the first batch of AirShuttles will be available in March 2020.

With the AirShuttle on the market, we look forward to working closely with the Continental Confederations and Member Associations to implement and spread the project globally.

Samples of the AirShuttle will be made available to Member Associations who express interest in organising a pilot AirBadminton activity.

BWF will do its best to accommodate AirShuttle requests according to countries. However, please note that allocation will be confirmed based on availability. Additional AirShuttles will be available for purchase from manufacturers after March.

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2.       LATEST AIRBADMINTON ACTIVITIES

In 2019, the BWF, in collaboration with Member Associations, ran AirBadminton activities that enabled us to finetune relevant aspects of the game, as well as further test the performance of the AirShuttle.

During the summer, Badminton Nederland ran a number of AirBadminton activities across the country. The rollout was an opportunity to introduce the new outdoor game to different cities, as well as promote the health benefits of badminton to local communities. The initiative was very well received by participants, spectators and local city authorities. Badminton Nederland is already planning to repeat the experience in 2020.

A video from the event can be watched here.

In August, a pilot AirBadminton competition was organised at the Sunsets Kuopio Festival – the largest outdoor sport and entertainment event in Finland. The event was conducted in collaboration with Badminton Finland and Savon Sulka Club. More than 60 players from all over Finland participated in the three-day tournament, which showcased 108 exciting matches in all categories: men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, mixed doubles, and the new triples format.

A video from the event can be watched here.

Last October, the Dubai Sports Council hosted an AirBadminton competition as part of the Dubai International Challenge 2019. It was an opportunity for the BWF to validate equipment, regulations and competition formats.

A video from the event can be watched here.

Also, in October, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) conducted an AirBadminton exhibition in conjunction with Malaysia’s National Sports Month.

In November, Maldives introduced the AirBadminton project during its first Beach Games. The AirBadminton exhibition aimed at targeting sport and tourism partners to implement the new game in islands resorts. Also, in November, the Singapore Badminton Association ran an AirBadminton event alongside the Singapore Youth International Series 2019.

A video from the event can be watched here.

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3.       HSBC BWF AIRBADMINTON COMMUNITY PROJECT LAUNCH

BWF and HSBC jointly launched the AirBadminton Community Project at the Tianhe Gymnasium in Guangzhou, China in December. This project was facilitated by our local partners Guangzhou Sports Bureau and Guangzhou Badminton Association.

Following the successful launch of AirBadminton in Guangzhou in May, BWF together with its Global Development Partner HSBC and Guangzhou Sports Bureau, announced the delivery of a number of permanent AirBadminton courts on various surfaces for public usage as part of the community outreach programme.

The first of these courts were unveiled at a special exhibition near the Tianhe Gymnasium in Guangzhou, China, in conjunction with the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals.

A video from the launch can be watched here.

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4.       2020 – 2024 BWF Strategic Plan – AirBadminton

Will include the following elements as priorities:

• Systematic implement AirBadminton globally, focussing on the development of courts in public outdoor spaces to facilitate participation.
• Permanent courts being developed as legacy in conjunction with international events.
• Develop national structures, including competition, to assist in promoting the game as a healthy outdoor activity.
• Build partnerships and networks to assist the growth and implementation of projects.
• Work with brands and retailers to ensure the AirShuttle and associated equipment is available globally at an affordable price.
• CCs to have AirBadminton as an integral part of their development strategy.
• Further research into the specific health benefits of AirBadminton.

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Contact

Badminton Australia

15/8 Techno Park Drive, Williamstown

(03) 9397 4722

Badminton Australia is pleased to announce our National Junior Squads for 2020.

                                                                       U19

Rio Agustino (NSW)                         Julian Lee (WA)                                 Gavin Ong (SA)

Ryan Venpin (VIC)                           Majan Almazan (NSW)                   Kaitlyn Ea (VIC)

Angie Liu (NSW)                               Bernice Teoh (WA)                          Angela Yu (QLD)

U17

Kayson Goh (VIC)                             Asher Ooi (NSW)                              Timothy Sentosa (WA)

Ricky Tang (NSW)                             Jack Yu (QLD)                                     Otto Zhao (VIC)

Sydney Go (VIC)                                Priska Kustiadi (NSW)                     Dania Nugroho (SA)

Carina Sam (NSW)                           Joanne Zheng (WA)

U15

Shrey Dhand (VIC)                           Jazmine Lam (VIC)                           Yee-Yuan Lim (VIC)

Catrina Tan (SA)                                Sydney Tjonadi (NSW)

Badminton Australia would like to congratulate all junior players who have been selected to be part of the 2020 Junior High-Performance Program (JHP). Our Junior High-Performance Program aims to identify, support and develop the most talented young badminton players in Australia by offering a range of training and competition opportunities. Our JHP players will also have access to high quality coaching and sports science support to aid their physical development.

To read more about the structure of our Junior High Performance Program, its selection criteria and the expectations of our players please refer to the Junior High Performance 2020 Program and Player Contract, as well as the Junior High Performance Strategic Plan 2019-2022.

Contact

Badminton Australia

15/8 Techno Park Drive, Williamstown

(03) 9397 4722

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