The Kiwis have landed in Sydney for the Sathio Australian Badminton Open. The team has had a packed schedule, flying straight from the Wisden Cup to Australia in less than five hours.

The Kiwis had a practice session at the main hall at the Quaycentre Sydney Olympic Park - “The stadium is huge, so there’s a different feel to how rallies play out. It’s not often we get a chance to compete at a Super 500, so I’m looking forward to being on court and taking in the experience.” - Dylan Soedjasa.

First to compete in the Australian Open will be Edward Lau in the Men's Singles Qualification against Australia’s Ken Richardson. Edward shared, “We got to train at the main hall yesterday to adjust to the stadium and the shuttles, and I’m feeling good going into this match. I’m excited to be playing in my first Super 500 tournament.”

Edward Lau is coming in as a strong contender to represent New Zealand, having a phenomenal result from the 2024 Oceania Championships in the Men's Singles, we look forward to see what how he performs throughout the tournament.

Later in the afternoon, Rizky and Putra, the reigning Australian National Champions, will face off against New Zealand's top doubles pair, Dylan Soedjasa and Adam Jeffrey. This promises to be an exciting match! Adam noted, “Playing in the main hall yesterday was good, but I’m not used to playing with a drift, so that’s something I need to think about.” Dylan added, “It's always challenging to play new opponents as we will have to make quick adjustments during the match.”

Mixed Doubles matches will be played on Wednesday. Stay tuned and follow the results here.

The biggest tournament in Oceania is just two weeks away, and four of our very own Kiwis are set to compete among the world's best!

Edward Lau by Badminton Oceania - Foxall Photography

The SATHIO Group Australian Badminton Open - Super 500, a star-studded event featuring top players like Jonatan Cristie (Indonesia), FENG Yan Zhe and HUANG Dong Ping (China) plus many more, will see New Zealand represented in Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles events.

Leading the charge in Men’s Singles is the current Oceania Men's Singles Champion, Edward Lau. This marks Edward’s debut in a Super 500 tournament, presenting a fantastic opportunity for him to gain experience and compete against higher-ranked players.

Edward will be teaming up with Gronya Somerville, the 2024 Oceania Mixed Doubles Champion from Australia, for their debut in the mixed doubles event. The two recently faced off against each other with their respective partners (Shaunna Li - NZL and Kenneth Choo - AUS) at the 2024 Oceania Individual Championships in Geelong, where Lau and Li closely missed out in a 3 game match for the Oceania Mixed Championship title. “I don’t really have any expectations; we’re probably the underdogs since we’re a scratch pairing. I’m looking forward to challenging others and hopefully beating them,” says Edward.

When asked about potential challenges, Edward notes, “I think there will be times where we get confused on court since we’re not used to playing together. However, if this happens, I believe we’ll be able to scramble and cover for each other.”

Joining the mixed doubles to represent New Zealand are Adam Jeffrey and Justine Villegas. Justine shares, “It’s really exciting to get the opportunity to play against the world's best especially in Australia. Our last international tournament was in May last year, and our partnership was less than a year old back then. This level of competition is a huge jump from International Challenges to the Super 500, but it’s definitely something we can learn from.”

Justine Villegas and Adam Jeffrey by Foxall Photography

Jeffrey adds, “Like Justine said, I’m excited! It’ll be fun, and I want to see the gap between us and these top players. I feel like I haven’t earned my spot to play in it, but this opportunity showed up and we’re definitely very fortunate to compete in a Super 500.”

In addition to Mixed Doubles, Adam will represent New Zealand in Men’s Doubles with Dylan Soedjasa - 2024 Oceania Men's Doubles Runner-Up. “I love these big tournaments because we get the chance to play against different styles of badminton. With New Zealand being quite a small country, we often play the same people, so it’s great to face new opponents.”

Adam Jeffrey and Dylan Soedjasa by Foxall Photography

The Australian Open Super 500 will take place from 11-14 June 2024 in Sydney. The draw will be released on 4 June 2024. Stay tuned to see who the Kiwis will be up against!


Raphael Deloy (Waikato) and Markis Tew (North Harbour) have been taking the badminton scene in Malaysia over the past month.

Participating in three tournaments, the pair not only reached the finals each time but have emerged victorious for two out of the three. An exceptional accomplishment, showcasing their talent and determination.

Reflecting on their experiences, Markis shares insights gained from facing stronger opponents.
"Even against tough competition, particularly the tournament's top seeds, we approached the games with the mindset of giving our best without the expectation of winning. This approach, coupled with reduced pressure, allowed us to elevate our performance and secure victories." Markis Tew - North Harbour.

Looking ahead, Markis expresses his intention to maintain a relaxed mindset in future matches, recognising its positive impact on his gameplay.

Beyond competitions, their stint in Malaysia includes intensive training at the Rommy Badminton Club, contributing to their development.

Raphael Deloy highlights "the part I enjoy the most about this trip is all the friends I have made and how they make all the training sessions more enjoyable". Inspired by their training abroad, Raphael is keen to bring back the intensity of drills and fast-paced movements to elevate the training regime in New Zealand.

As the boys kick-start the year on a high note, Raphael is gearing up for the Oceania Individual and Team Championships in February, setting a promising tone for the upcoming tournaments.

Congratulations to both Raphael and Markis! We are excited and thrilled to see what they have in store for the rest of the year!

Badminton New Zealand is excited to announce the selected teams for the Victor Oceania Men's and Women's Team Championships.

Our teams will compete from the 16th to the 18th of February in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. They will battle against other Oceania regions for a spot at the TotalEnergies BWF Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in Chengdu, China, in April.

We are also pleased to announce that both teams will be coached by Rikke Olsen-Siegemund and Oliver Leydon-Davis.

Congratulations to all the players!

The New Zealand Junior Team are gearing up to fly this weekend to own the global stage! New Zealand will be well represented by a strong group of juniors who will compete in the World Junior Mixed Team and Individual Championships in Spokane USA from September 25 to October 8.

The team will be competing against the following teams in the group stage - Chinese Taipei, Denmark Slovakia and Tahiti.

Meet the team!

Chris Benzie

Men's Singles
Men's Doubles : Jaden Mingoa

I want to thank my family and friends for their support. Also thanks to my coaches and association, North Harbour, for the ongoing assistance. Lastly, everyone who donated to help me show my skills to the world at the World Junior Championship. To wear the fern means a lot and I’ll make sure to wear it with pride.

Raphael Deloy

Men's Doubles : Sam Navarra
Mixed Doubles: Victoria Guo

Shoutout to my parents and friends for the support and also my sponsor which is AJ motor. I’m looking forward to competing against Chinese Taipei

Jaden Mingoa

Men’s Doubles: Chris Benzie
Mixed Doubles: Camellia Zhou

It’s an honour to represent New Zealand as it gives me pride to showcase the best of New Zealand. A big shoutout to my dad, Mike and my mum, Ana.

Sam Navarra

Men’s Singles
Men’s Doubles : Raphael Deloy

Very proud to represent NZ and carry around my family name. Very excited to compete at a world stage. Thanks to family, friends, missus and all sponsors for the support.

Lezhi Zhu

Men’s Singles
Mixed Doubles : Berry Ng

Victoria Guo

Women’s Singles
Mixed Doubles: Raphael Deloy

It’s a great honour to represent my country as well as those who have supported me in my badminton journey! Thank you to OKU New Zealand, Goldsmiths Gallery Jewellers, Urban Print, First Land Limited, Mitre 10.

Berry Ng

Women's Doubles : Camellia Zhou
Mixed Doubles : Lezhi Zhu

I feel honored because being able to wear the silver fern and represent New Zealand is a privilege.

Rosie Yang

Women's Singles
Women's Doubles : Josephine Zhao

I'm very proud to represent New Zealand. Shoutout to my family and friends and coaches and sponsors.

Josephine Zhao

Women's Singles
Women's Doubles : Rosie Yang

It means the world wear the silver fern and represent New Zealand. Thank you to my family, my friends, and my teammates.

Camellia Zhou

Women's Doubles : Berry Ng
Mixed Doubles : Jaden Mingoa

To represent New Zealand on an international stage, I have to represent with pride and mana, and to compete to the best of my abilities - it is an honour to wear the silver fern.

A huge shoutout to my family, friends, and coaches for helping me get where I am today. As well as Auckland Badminton Association for the ongoing support and Yonex for the gear.

Follow their journey here!

The Oceania Championships is finally here and is set to start tomorrow!

  • 10 - 12th February - Oceania Junior Mixed Team Championships
  • 13 - 16th February - Oceania Junior Championships
  • 13 - 16th February - Oceania Championships
  • 17 - 19th February - Oceania Open Mixed Team Championships

Oceania Junior Mixed Team Championships | 10 - 12 February

Schedule
Feb 10 | Friday | 1030 AM - New Zealand v New Caledonia
Feb 11 | Saturday | 1030 AM - New Zealand v Cook Islands
Feb 11 | Saturday | 0300 PM - New Zealand v Tahiti
Feb 12 | Sunday | 1100 AM - New Zealand v Australia

The first event on the schedule is the Oceania Junior Mixed Team Championships, which has not been held since 2019. This year's championship will feature both new and familiar faces across five different teams: Australia, Cook Islands, New Caledonia, Tahiti, and New Zealand. Australia is the top seed in this category, while New Zealand is the second seed.

Chris Benzie (NH)Victoria Guo (WKO)
Isaac Chan (WTK)Mia Xu (AK)
Daniel Hu (AK)Rosie Yang (AK)
Jaden Mingoa (NH)Josephine Zhao (NH)
Lezhi Zhu (HB)Camellia Zhou (AK)

Victor Oceania Junior and Open Championships | 13 - 16 February

The second event on the schedule is both the Junior and Open Individual Championships. This event will showcase the individual talents of the players from the different teams and give fans a chance to see who the top players in Oceania are. The Junior and Open Individual Championships is always a thrilling event as it showcases the best of the best in the region.

The Oceania Badminton Championships are heating up as top players from across the Oceania region gather to compete for the titles in Men's Singles, Women's Singles, Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles, and Mixed Doubles.

In the Men's Singles category, New Zealand has been dominant since 2018, with the current Oceania Men's Single Champion, Edward Lau and former Oceania Champions Abhinav Manota and Oscar Guo all vying for the title. It will be interesting to see who will come out on top this year.

The Women's Singles category is also highly anticipated, with the 7-time Women's Singles Oceania Champion out of the draw and the title up for grabs. New Zealand's number one Women's Singles player, Shaunna Li, is entering the draw unseeded and may cause some upsets.

In the Men's Doubles, Abhinav Manota and Jack Wang will be defending their title, but their compatriots Adam Jeffrey and Dylan Soedjasa could challenge them. The draw is full of strong wildcards, with Chan Alan Yun Lung and Chance Cheng (NZL) among the new doubles combinations that have entered the draw. It will be interesting to see who will come out on top.

The Women's Doubles category is wide open, with new doubles partnerships across the board and some of the best Australia Doubles pairs and New Zealand's top Women's Doubles pair – Anona Pak and Erena Calder-Hawkins in the top half of the draw. It is anyone's game, and the championship could go to any of the top contenders.

Finally, in the Mixed Doubles, New Zealand’s top mixed player Anona Pak has a new partner in Dylan Soedjasa, and they will be trying to change their silver medal into a gold medal this year. Defending champions Kenneth Choo and Gronya Somerville (AUS) will be back, but with pairs such as Edward Lau and Shaunna Li, Jack Wang and Erena Calder-Hawkins, Adam Jeffrey and Justine Villegas alongside new strong partnerships across the board, it will be interesting to see if a wildcard can take the win this year.

Oceania Mixed Team Championships | 17 - 19 February

Schedule
Feb 17 | Friday | 1000 AM - New Zealand v Tonga
Feb 17 | Friday | 0200 PM - New Zealand v Cook Islands
Feb 18 | Saturday | 1000 AM - New Zealand v Northern Marianas
Feb 18 | Saturday | 0200 PM - New Zealand v Tahiti
Feb 18 | Saturday | 0600 PM - New Zealand v New Caledonia
Feb 19 | Sunday | 1000 AM - New Zealand v Australia

The final event of the Oceania Championships is the Oceania Mixed Team Championships. This year, there are seven teams competing for the title: New Zealand, Australia, Cook Islands, New Caledonia, Northern Marianas, Tahiti, and Tonga. With multiple Oceania titles across the Australian and New Zealand teams, the competition promises to be an exciting match-up between the top two seeds, Australia and New Zealand. The winner of the Oceania Mixed Team Championships will automatically qualify for the Sudirman World Mixed Team Championships in Suzhou, China, which takes place on May 14.

Adam Jeffrey (AK)Erena Calder-Hawkins (TBC)
Edward Lau (NH)Shaunna Li (NH)
Abhinav Manota (NH)Anona Pak (NH)
Dylan Soedjasa (NH)Justine Villegas (NH)
Jack Wang (AK)Camellia Zhou (AK)

The Oceania Championships would not be possible without the hard work of the volunteer support staff. These dedicated individuals work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that the tournament runs smoothly and that the players have everything they need to perform at their best. The players and the fans alike are grateful for the contributions of the volunteer support staff.

In addition to the volunteer support, the Oceania Championships also rely on the support of the fans. Spectators bring energy and excitement to the tournament and play a crucial role in creating a memorable experience for everyone involved. Whether you're a seasoned fan or a newcomer to the sport, the Oceania Championships is the perfect place to witness some of the best badminton in the world.

The Oceania Championships is shaping up to be an exciting and highly competitive event. With five teams competing in the Junior Mixed Team Championships, and seven teams competing in the Oceania Mixed Team Championships, fans are in for a treat as they watch the best badminton players in Oceania battle it out for the title. So, be sure to tune in tomorrow and witness the next chapter in Oceania badminton history.

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