This weekend, the New Zealand Junior Squad celebrated a significant milestone with their official shirt presentation at the Counties Manukau Badminton Association. The event was attended by the selected players, board members, family and supporters, making it a memorable occasion.
Representing New Zealand on the world stage is a remarkable achievement, and this day was a celebration of the hard work and dedication, not only from these young athletes but also from their supporters who have put in an immense amount of work to reach this level.
A special thank you goes to Yonex Badminton Australia / New Zealand for providing the official World Junior squad shirts. Their continued support is invaluable to the development of our junior athletes.
Following the presentation, the squad underwent two days of education, team-building activities and intense training. The weekend wrapped up with a sparring session against the National Development Squad, culminating in a relay simulation - mirroring the team format they compete with at the World Junior Championships in Nanchang, China.
"The BWF World Junior Championships is held annually and consists of two separate competitions: a mixed team championships for the Suhandinata Cup followed by an individual championships for the Eye Level Cups – all hosted over 12 days and attracting up to 50 teams and 400 players from around the world.
The Championships provides badminton fans with a first glimpse of the stars of the future. The World Junior Championship is the first opportunity for talented young badminton players to represent their country in a world event in the sport.
It is also an opportunity to experience top level competition and perhaps put them on the pathway towards becoming one of the stars of the future." - BWF
Stay tuned for more updates on how the World Junior Championship format has changed as we follow the journey of these young athletes at the World Junior Championships!
