New Zealand Juniors Markis Tew and Raphael Deloy have claimed victory in Europe, winning the Men's Doubles final at the Slovakia Junior International Series in Trenčín.

The Kiwi pair, who have been competing together internationally since 2023, achieved this important milestone on Sunday, with a 21-13 21-19 win against second seeds Kryštof Coufal / Filip Titěra of the Czech Republic. They performed strongly throughout the tournament, winning all matches in straight games, while Deloy also reached the semi-finals of Men's Singles.

Tew reflected on their win. "I’m feeling a mix of exhilaration and relief. Winning the tournament after all the hard work and dedication is an overwhelming feeling. There’s also a sense of pride in knowing that we performed well under pressure."

Deloy adds, "I felt excited throughout the match and filled with adrenaline. This successful outcome has made me realise how much more I can become and what I can do to help myself improve."

The pair flew to the London immediately after the presentations, on their way to Cardiff to compete in the YONEX Welsh International Open this week. Before the year ends, they'll both compete in Thailand and Nepal as well.

With an eye on the Olympics, both Tew and Deloy recognise that there is a long journey ahead. Tew says they're ready to put in the work. "The journey will require us to continue training and improving our skills, as well as playing against stronger opposition."

"We will have to start slow and work our way to the top - with hard word and dedication, anything is possible," concludes Deloy.

Yonex and Badminton New Zealand are pleased to announce the renewal of their partnership, reaffirming Yonex as the “Official Exclusive National Equipment Partner and Shuttlecock Supplier” to Badminton New Zealand since 2018. This continued collaboration highlights our shared commitment to the growth of badminton across New Zealand.

As part of the renewed partnership, Yonex will continue to provide top-quality products and support to Badminton New Zealand, ensuring that players at all levels have access to the highest quality of equipment for performance. Shuttlecocks will be provided at the following key national events:

Stephen Nelson, Chief Executive of Badminton New Zealand, shared his enthusiasm for the continued partnership:
“Badminton New Zealand is absolutely delighted to renew its long-standing shuttle and equipment partnership with Yonex. We have been proud to work closely with Yonex through our national and international events for many years, and we greatly appreciate the value and support given to badminton in New Zealand. We look forward to working together to continue growing the game and inspiring Kiwis to love badminton for life.”

Michael Fariman, Yonex Brand Manager, also expressed his excitement:
“We are proud to continue our partnership with Badminton New Zealand. This renewed partnership allows us to further support the development of badminton throughout New Zealand. We look forward to working closely with Badminton New Zealand to help the sport grow.”

Our ongoing relationship reflects a strong bond built on mutual dedication to advancing the sport and nurturing talent from grassroots to elite levels. The partnership renewal is closely aligned with Yonex’s mission to "bring the world together by deepening people's connection to sport and to each other." 

Our mission guides us not only to create world-class products but to also connect sports and people, and people to people through sports, fostering a sense of unity and connection with the badminton community.  We look forward to a brighter future for Badminton in New Zealand.

The future of badminton is in good hands, with hundreds of junior and senior players taking to the courts throughout July. The school holiday break saw 84 junior teams from around New Zealand compete in the the Junior Team Championships in Palmerston North, followed by the New Zealand Under 15 and Under 19 National Championships in Hamilton. A week later, New Zealand's top senior players were contesting the National Championships in Papakura, rounding out a busy month of intense competition.

New Zealand Junior Team Championships

The New Zealand Junior Team Championships continues to grow, reflecting the strength and development of junior badminton across the country, with 680 players completing 3296 matches and playing a massive 238,671 rallies. Badminton North Harbour had a very successful event, completing a clean sweep of all Division One titles for the second year running. Taranaki were deserved winners of the Skarott Shield, with a big increase in both team numbers and results in 2024.

Winners

A special thank you to the Palmerston North City Council, Sport Manawatu, Pub Charity, TAB, the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, FlyPalmy and Badminton Manawatu for their contributions to this important event.

New Zealand Under 15 and Under 19 National Championships

Waikato Badminton Association played host to 157 talented juniors in the second week of the school holidays, as they contested National titles in the Under 15 and Under 19 age groups across four days. The event began with a busy day of competition for the younger cohort, before being joined by the Under 19 players for the final three days.

Winners

Our sincere thanks to Hamilton City Council, Grassroots Trust and Waikato Badminton Association for helping make this event a big success.

New Zealand National Championships

Wrapping up the busy July period, the New Zealand National Championships were contested by 115 players at Counties Manukau. As the last qualifying event of the 2024 NZ Tour, the National Championships held extra significance as players chased a spot in the Finals.

Tony Yu and Yanxi Liu firmly established their credentials in senior competition, achieving exceptional results to reach the finals in Men's and Women's singles respectively, however the standout performer of the tournament was without a doubt North Harbour's Shaunna Li, who successfully defended her triple crown from 2023.

Winners

• MS: Edward Lau (NH)
• WS: Shaunna Li (NH)
• MD: Vincent Tao (NH) / Dacmen Vong (AK)
• WD: Shaunna Li / Alyssa Tagle (NH)
• XD: Edward Lau / Shaunna Li (NH)

Badminton New Zealand gratefully acknowledges the support of the Papakura Local Board, Sal's Pizza, Counties Manukau Badminton Association and our volunteer technical officials to deliver this event.

Originally published by Paralympics New Zealand

Four-time Paralympic champion Wojtek Czyz will create New Zealand sporting history as the first Para badminton player to represent New Zealand when he competes at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. 

Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) today named 43-year-old Czyz to compete at his fourth Paralympic Games, but the first for his adopted country of New Zealand.   

A lower-leg amputee following a football accident when he was 21, Czyz represented Germany at three Paralympic Games (in 2004, 2008 and 2012), where he won seven medals in Para athletics as a sprinter and long jumper. He only took up Para badminton three years ago, after settling in New Zealand with his wife and son. 

Czyz says he is proud to represent New Zealand on the world stage and compete at the Paralympic Games for a fourth time, but in a completely new sport.  

“I simply want to show everyone in New Zealand and beyond what is possible. You need to want it, and the moment you really dedicate yourself to something and really fight for it, success will come to you,” he says.   

“That’s the main reason why I’m doing it. I’m really looking forward to inspiring the next generation and helping New Zealand to grow new athletes in Para sport.” 

Greg Warnecke, Paralympics New Zealand CEO, said: “We’re thrilled Wojtek will be our first Para Badminton player in the history of the New Zealand Paralympic Team. 

“To have an athlete of Wojtek’s incredible sporting calibre representing New Zealand is tremendous for the Paralympic Movement in our country. Wojtek has been so involved in helping shape the lives of amputees around the world, he will no doubt inspire many more in Paris, and we can’t wait to see him bring his wealth of Paralympic Games experience to the world stage again.” 

Czyz’s background in sport is immense. Growing up in Germany, he realised his dream to become a professional football player at 21, but in his last club game before taking up his professional contract, he broke his knee in a collision with a goalkeeper. The injury led to the amputation of his left lower leg. 

Six months later, with a prosthetic and his same passion to succeed, Czyz became the German champion in the 100m T42 and long jump F42/44. Two years later, he won three gold medals in long jump and sprints at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games. In Beijing four years later, he won another gold, followed by a silver and two bronze medals at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. 

“I then retired from Para athletics, to sail around the world with my family and help amputees to receive prosthetics. Living on a boat for five years, we supported 90 people with prosthetic legs,” says Czyz, who now lives in the Hamilton settlement of Eureka. 

“Arriving in New Zealand, we fell in love with the country, and I was very interested to see how Para sport was set up in New Zealand. Badminton had always been a hobby of mine since I was a boy, but I’d never played it professionally. When I discovered it had been included in the competition schedule for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, I reached out to Badminton New Zealand and asked them to assess my skills.” 

After beating other Para badminton players in New Zealand, Czyz decided to pour everything into competing internationally, with the goal of qualifying for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. He played his first Para badminton international for New Zealand in Dubai in 2022. 

“Everyone who knows me, knows I don’t do anything at 20 or 50 per cent. If I do something, I commit to it 100 per cent. So, I started to train twice a day, and this passion and commitment over such a short time brought me to the level where I was able to qualify for Paris,” he says. 

“It wasn’t easy. The qualification criteria is demanding, and I was competing against people who had been playing badminton day in and day out for 15, 20 to 25 years.  But I was lucky to share my vision and my passion with others and create a team around me, and with a big team effort we all made it happen.” 

Czyz is now ranked 14^th in the world in the men’s singles SL3 classification; his best performance was a quarterfinal finish at the 2023 Japan Para Badminton International.  

A certified diving instructor, Czyz has also set five world records in free diving as an amputee, diving to 50 metres with a single breath.  

Stephen Nelson, Badminton New Zealand Chief Executive, said: “Badminton New Zealand is proud and absolutely delighted to have our first ever Para athlete competing in Paris. This is a huge achievement by Wojtek, and we are sure he will lead the way to inspire other Kiwis to give badminton a go.” 

Czyz joins 11 Para athletes already named in the NZ Paralympic Team, in the sports of Para athletics, Para equestrian, Para swimming and Para table tennis. 

The Badminton New Zealand Junior Team Championships’ proud legacy in Palmerston North will continue for another three years, thanks to the ongoing support of Sport Manawat­ū and the Palmerston North City Council.

The renewed agreement will see the popular event celebrate its 41^st, 42^nd and 43^rd anniversaries at the Central Energy Trust Arena in Palmerston North, reflecting the depth of commitment between the parties to support tens of thousands of junior players through their development journey. Loved throughout the badminton community, the New Zealand Junior Team Championships is recognised as a foundational event that sparks a life-long passion for the sport, with the majority of participants continuing to play as adults, as well as progressing into coaching, technical and administrative roles.

Badminton New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Nelson highlights the importance of this event.

“It’s an absolute delight to witness hundreds of young players on court with smiles beaming across their faces as they battle against opponents from every corner of the country. The New Zealand Junior Team Championships are a critical step in our development pathway and it’s fantastic to witness each new generation being instilled with a love of badminton throughout the week.

“The support we receive from Sport Manawat­ū and the Palmerston North City Council is essential to ensure we can continue to meet the growing demand for badminton opportunities and deliver this exceptional event to the highest standard. We greatly appreciate their commitment to our sport and our players.”

Palmerston North Mayor Grant Smith shares his pride that the city will continue hosting badminton for another three years.

“We’re thrilled to host the Badminton Junior Nationals once again, for what has been a strong partnership for the past 40 years. It’s a testament to our ability to be able to provide state of the art sporting facilities to over 600 competitors from across the country, while also bringing in an excess of half a million dollars to our local economy.

“Badminton is a sport that offers both inclusivity and accessibility to engage communities – something we’re all about in Palmy – so I encourage our own community to celebrate these young athletes and the energy they bring by heading down to watch a match and welcoming them into our city.”

Sport Manawat­ū has been a long-term partner of the event, and Chief Executive Kelly Shanks is thrilled to welcome junior badminton players once again.

“We are delighted that our partnership with Badminton New Zealand and the Palmerston North City Council to host the New Zealand Junior Team Championships is continuing for another three years. This event not only showcases the talent and dedication of our young athletes but also underscores our collective commitment to fostering a lifelong love for badminton and providing invaluable developmental opportunities.

“We are proud to continue our support of this tournament and look forward to welcoming players, coaches, and spectators from across the country to our vibrant community.”

The New Zealand Junior Team Championships take place at Central Energy Trust Arena from 7-10 July 2024, with over 80 teams competing throughout the week. Spectators are welcome – entry is free.

Life membership has been granted to Julie Carrel at the 93rd AGM of Badminton New Zealand, in recognition of her substantial contribution to the sport over 40 years.

Glenn Cox of Badminton North Harbour spoke to Julie's nomination, which was unanimously passed.

"Julie’s contribution to Badminton is spread over 40 years, during which she has undoubtedly left a lasting positive impression.

Firstly, as a player at the age of 18 she was selected to represent New Zealand in a tour to Australia and was part of one of the first NZ junior teams to have a series win there against Victoria. She was a member of the New Zealand National Squad with 26 international appearances for New Zealand from 1986 to 1996 including the 1990 Commonwealth Games and Uber Cup, Sudirman Cup and White Trophy competitions. She was a member of the North Harbour Wisden Cup teams who were successful winning the Inter-Association Division One team's event in 1990, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1999. She is also the holder of 22 national championships titles ranging from juniors, seniors and masters events.

At the conclusion of her playing career, Julie began coaching in which she mentored and passed on her vast experience to future badminton players in New Zealand. She was then appointed the Chief Executive of Badminton North Harbour and over the next 13 years was responsible for not only lifting the sport in that region but also raising the bar for all of badminton in New Zealand.

In 2003 at the Badminton New Zealand inaugural awards Julie was awarded the Supreme award for “Outstanding Contribution to Badminton in New Zealand.” Concluding her time at North Harbour, Julie took up the role of Events Manager for Badminton New Zealand and so began a legacy of badminton events in New Zealand. In 2004 Julie was appointed Tournament director for the first ever One-Star tournament to be held in the Oceania region and tournament director for 2005 New Zealand Open, which was a World Grand Prix event, then again in 2006, 2007 and 2008. She continued running this from 2013 – 2018 utilising her own business and risk.  She was also the tournament Director for BWF World Junior Championships held in Auckland in 2007.

Julie was the convenor for the New Zealand Tournament and Events committee from 2004 – 2019. She completed her Referees course in 2007 and has been a BWF Referee since 2014. Julie is respected throughout the Badminton World Federation for her contribution, experience and expertise in whatever badminton role she engages in. Julie is still active in providing her time to New Zealand Badminton, volunteering her time as referee for the Badminton New Zealand U19 National Championships in Christchurch last year and the NZ Tour Manawatu Open last weekend.

Julie Carrel is a 'one in a million' badminton person. Her passion for the sport in New Zealand and as part of New Zealand has covered over 40 years and we can think of no one more deserving of a life membership than her."

Badminton New Zealand joins our associations in acknowledging Julie's incredible passion and dedication to our sport, and we congratulate her on being granted life membership of Badminton New Zealand.