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.