New Zealand’s national badminton team put on a strong showing at the 2025 VICTOR Oceania Mixed Team Championships, finishing as runners-up after an impressive run to the final. The team secured dominant 5-0 victories over Tahiti, Fiji, and the Cook Islands before falling to Australia in a hard-fought gold medal match.
Dominant Start in Group Play
The Kiwi squad wasted no time asserting themselves in the early rounds, delivering commanding performances against Tahiti, Fiji, and the Cook Islands. These wins highlighted the team’s depth, with every player contributing to the undefeated run to the final.
The tournament also provided valuable experience for Raphael Deloy, Yanxi Liu, and Josephine Zhao, three young talents from New Zealand’s Under 19 Performance Squad, who gained further exposure to high-level international competition.
A Hard-Fought Final Against Australia
Facing off against defending champions Australia in the final, New Zealand fought hard but ultimately fell 5-0 in a series of competitive matches.
- Mixed Doubles – A strong start but a tough finish saw New Zealand lose 21-18, 21-15.
- Men’s Singles – A challenging match ended in a 21-12, 21-12 defeat.
- Women’s Singles – Shaunna Li pushed Australia’s Tiffany Ho to three games before falling 21-19, 18-21, 21-16 in one of the closest contests of the tie.
- Men’s Doubles – Raphael Deloy and Dylan Soedjasa brought plenty of energy to win the first game, but lost a tense match 12-21, 21-14, 21-18.
- Women’s Doubles – The Australian duo proved too strong, winning 21-5, 21-4.
Despite the final score line, the close matches, particularly in the women’s singles and men’s doubles, showcased the team’s competitiveness against Oceania’s top side.
Chief Executive Stephen Nelson reflected on the team's performance.
"We're really proud of our team and their efforts across the week. It's great to see a new generation of players coming though, wearing the fern. Unfortunately, Australia were too strong for us this time - we wish them all the best as they represent our region at the Sudirman Cup."
National Coach Rikke Olsen Siegemund commended the efforts of the team, despite a less than ideal run into the event.
"We've had limited preparation with some players overseas and others struggling with injuries. We did what we could on the day, but to get the win, we really needed to step up as a team. However, it's really promising to see this young team developing well from campaign to campaign."
Looking Ahead to the VICTOR Oceania Championships
There’s little time to rest, as the team now turns its focus to the VICTOR Oceania Championships, which start today. This tournament presents another opportunity for New Zealand’s top players to compete for individual titles and build on the momentum from their team performance.
Stay tuned for more updates as the Kiwi squad takes on Oceania’s best!