The first day of the U16 SHONAI Invitational 2025 was a busy and exciting one for New Zealand’s junior representatives in Tsuruoka, Japan.
Amy Wang (North Harbour) put on an impressive showing in her group stage matches. Amy secured two wins out of three, with some very tight matches across the board. She recorded a straight games victory over Japan’s Chinari Kuronuma (21-18, 21-17), before fighting through two close three-games. She fell just short against Indonesia’s Kalia Rahmadani (14-21, 21-11, 21-16) and came out on top againstSpain’s Belen Soto (21-15, 18-21, 21-17). Her results earned her a Top 2 finish in her group, qualifying her for the quarterfinals to play for positions 1–8.
Lucas Qin (Waikato) completed his group stage matches against Denmark’s Axel Boesen (12-21, 8-21), Korea’s Yong Ho Kang (11-21, 12-21), and solid win against Japan’s Itto Takahashi (21-16, 21-12). He will now continue in the 9–16 bracket for the next stage of the tournament to gain further international match experience. Lucas now moves into the 9–16 bracket for the next stage of the tournament, where he will continue to gain valuable experience against high-level international opponents.
The action continues today with quarterfinal matches as Amy and Lucas look to finish strongly in their respective brackets.
Follow the full schedule and results here: https://tinyurl.com/U16ShonaiResults
New Zealand’s junior representatives Amy Wang (North Harbour) and Lucas Qin (Waikato), accompanied by coach Kenneth Yew, departed today for Japan to compete in the U16 SHONAI Invitational 2025, taking place 28–29 June in Tsuruoka, Yamagata.
The tournament features some of the world’s top U16 players from powerhouse nations including China, Korea, and Denmark. For both players, it’s a valuable opportunity to experience elite international competition and grow as athletes.
Coach Kenneth Yew shared his thoughts ahead of departure:
“I’m looking forward to seeing how our players compete against some of the big badminton nations. The matches here will definitely be a step up in intensity from what they’re used to in New Zealand, so it’ll be great to see how they rise to the challenge. They’ve put in the work, and this is a valuable chance for them to step out of their comfort zones and grow.”
Beyond the on-court competition, Kenneth is also embracing the opportunity to build coaching connections:
“It’s a great chance for me to connect with coaches from other countries and learn more about how they run their junior programs — I always enjoy picking up new ideas and seeing different approaches in action.”
With tight travel and match schedules, the team will have to adapt quickly.
“Compared to Saipan, this trip will be a bit more demanding. The players will need to perform at a high level not long after landing, so getting them prepped to quickly adjust to the travel and settle into the new environment will be key.”
We wish Amy, Lucas, and Kenneth all the best as they proudly represent New Zealand in Japan. 🇳🇿🏸
🗓️ Event Dates: 28–29 June 2025
📍 Tsuruoka, Japan
🔗 More Info: international-badminton-u16.jp
Two of New Zealand’s junior badminton talents are heading to Japan to represent Aotearoa at the International Badminton U16 SHONAI Invitational 2025, held from 28–29 June in Tsuruoka, Yamagata.
Amy Wang (North Harbour) and Lucas Qin (Waikato), accompanied by coach Kenneth Yew (Waikato), will take on some of the world’s best U16 athletes across the men’s and women’s singles events. Countries represented at the event include badminton powerhouses such as China, Korea, Denmark, Malaysia, France, and more.
Hosted at the Tsurushin Arena, the event provides not only a competitive platform but also a unique cultural experience for the players, with opportunities to explore and connect with international peers through an organised post-event excursion.
This marks an incredible opportunity for Amy and Lucas to gain valuable match experience at an international level and continue developing as promising young athletes on the world stage.
🎌 Event Details:
- 🗓️ Competition Dates: 28–29 June 2025
- 📍 Venue: Tsurushin Arena Komagihara, Tsuruoka, Japan
- 🌐 More Info: international-badminton-u16.jp
Kiwis Storm into Quarterfinals at Northern Marianas International Series
It was a standout Day 3 for Team New Zealand at the Northern Marianas International Series, with multiple players advancing into the quarterfinals across several categories.
Mixed Doubles
New Zealand’s mixed doubles pair Raphael Deloy and Yanxi Liu delivered a convincing performance against Australia’s Phillip Halim and Faye Huo, cruising to a 21-14, 21-13 victory to secure their quarterfinals spot.
Joining them in the quarterfinals are fellow Kiwis Eric Lu and Josephine Zhao, who defeated Guam’s Allan Zeng and Kristine Deng with 21-6 and 21-8.
Men’s Doubles
Fresh off their gold at the 2025 VICTOR Oceania Junior Championships, Raphael Deloy and Lezhi Zhu continued their winning streak, moving into the quarterfinals after another solid performance.
Women’s Doubles
Back in action, Yanxi Liu and Josephine Zhao teamed up for the women’s doubles and defeated Cook Islands’ Arihoia Sprague-Marsters and Lana Toa 21-10, 21-5. This win marks their second event quarterfinals appearance this week.
New Zealand juniors continue to deliver strong performances across multiple events, and we look forward to watching their growth on the international stage.
What’s Next?
Quarterfinal matches begin tomorrow morning, followed by the semifinals in the afternoon at the Gilbert C. Ada Gym in Saipan. With strong Kiwi representation in the draw, New Zealand will have plenty to support at the tournament.
New Zealand’s Raphael Deloy and Lezhi Zhu have been named the Men's Doubles Champion at the 2025 VICTOR Oceania Junior Championships, capping off a strong tournament campaign with a confident performance in the final.
After days of competition in Saipan, the pair stood tall on finals day, showcasing composure, chemistry, and strategic play on court to secure the gold medal for New Zealand.
Reflecting on the win, Raphael Deloy shared his excitement:
“It feels amazing to win the Oceania Junior Championship. I’ve prepared since the start of this year to be able to achieve a really good outcome out of this tournament. So I’m really happy.”
His partner, Lezhi Zhu, spoke about the mindset that carried him through the pressure moments of the final:
“I think throughout the match I just told myself ‘composure’ over and over again – and it worked out.”
This victory is a sign that the future is bright for New Zealand badminton, with rising stars like Raphael and Lezhi leading the way. We’re thrilled to celebrate this incredible win with the pair and can’t wait to see how they perform next at the Northern Marianas International Series, where they’ll take on the challenge of competing in an Open International tournament.
The journey continues - and we’re cheering every step of the way.
Saipan, Northern Marianas — New Zealand’s junior team delivered a dominant performance on Day 1 of the VICTOR Oceania Junior Mixed Team Championships 2025, winning both of their ties with convincing 5-0 victories over Tahiti and Cook Islands. 🇳🇿🏸
The Oceania Championships is one of the first junior tournaments globally to trial the proposed format of the event and the new scoring system. The young Kiwis showed great composure and teamwork as they adapted to the tournament’s new scoring format, which sees all matches played best of 3 games to 15 points. The fast-paced system has created exciting matches with quick shifts in momentum.
Speaking after Day 1, New Zealand’s Lezhi Zhu said:
“The team performed really well today and pushed through every challenge. A highlight was seeing how the new 15 points format can go by so quickly. ”
With two strong wins in the books, New Zealand now looks ahead to Day 2, where they will face off against Fiji and host nation Northern Mariana Islands. The team will be aiming to maintain their unbeaten run and continue building momentum as the tournament progresses.
The team event continues through June 10, after which the players will shift their focus to the Individual Championships, running from June 12–15.
Stay tuned as we follow the journey of this exciting young squad as they take on the best of Oceania!