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That Sudbury Sports Guy: Badminton Players Make Most Of Time In Spotlight
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Published Apr 08, 2024 • Last updated 11 hours ago • 4 minute read
Austin Dollar, of Confederation Chargers, returns the birdie during action at the Sudbury Invitational Badminton Tournament at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School in Sudbury, Ont. On Friday April 5, 2024. John Lappa/Sudbury Star/Postmedia Network Photo by John Lappa /John Lappa/Sudbury Star With the bulk of winter sports now winding down and soccer season still a few weeks away, there appears to be a bit of a window of opportunity for some athletic activities that might not be quite as high profile to garner a little extra attention.
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With more than 800 entries split between the junior and senior divisions — yes, athletes can compete in multiple divisions — and some 24 schools from across the North taking part, the Sudbury Badminton Invitational hosted on the weekend at both St. Benedict CSS and Es Macdonald-Cartier appears to have filled a shoulder-season void.
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Hard to argue with the trend here.
Organizer Troy Brushett offered just a seniors bracket last year, in his first post-COVID crack at the tournament and attracted 321 entries — a number that jumped to 392 this time around, along with 419 juniors in the initial 2024 offering.
The field is a true cross-section of a relatively small group of high-schoolers who pursue the sport in both a scholastic and club environment, combined with a whole slew of very athletic kids who simply have the time to give it a shot between other interests.
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Lillian Li of Lo-Ellen definitely falls into the former category.
The 15-year-old Grade 10 student earned gold in both girls singles and girls doubles play , along with partner Manu Patil, and combined with cross-country runner Nolan Kuhlberg to garner bronze in the mixed doubles event.
"Doubles and mixed doubles are really fun, because I haven't had a set partner, but I do now," said the teen who first picked up a racquet some five years ago at the urging of her father. "I started off in singles and am probably stronger in singles."
As is the case for many badminton competitions, athletes are allowed to take part in all three facets of play, with Li and countless others taking full advantage to experience a little more court time over the course of the two-day gathering.
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"It is a small adjustment because you have to keep in mind that you do have a partner and you have to help each other out," Li said.
With an eye on advancing to OFSAA this year, Li has bolstered her training regimen with regular journeys to North Bay, joining forces with Kurt Tempelmans Plat and company, in addition to targeting a very specific area of potential improvement locally.
"More stamina," she stressed. "I need to be able to run and catch up with the birds before they hit the ground. I need to work on that a lot. So far, I've just been trying to play more, but every now and then, I am trying to do 30-minute runs. I've got to try and keep on that. I'm not doing really well at that."
That, of course, is not an issue whatsoever for Kuhlberg, a regular with both the Knights cross-country and track and field contingent that dominate the North. That said, there is a special enjoyment that comes from seeing the other side of that coin.
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"Her skill is crazy to watch," Kuhlberg noted of his mixed partner. "She's in Grade 10 and dominating the senior tournaments. It's been awesome to play with someone that good and learn from her, how she does certain things at such a high level."
Really showing an interest in badminton only since grade 10, Kuhlberg acknowledged that there is a non-physical element of the game that very much draws him in, especially in singles play.
"It's very strategic," he said. "The deception that comes with having the skill to hit different shots and your opponent not knowing what you are doing — I kind of like that aspect of it."
Following are the finalists from every division of play:
Senior division
Boys singles A
1st: Grayson Whiteway (Manitoulin)
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2nd: Nolan Kuhlberg (Lo-Ellen)
Boys singles B
1st: Anthony Niro (St. Mary's)
2nd: Will Mackey (Lasalle)
Girls singles A
1st: Lillian Li (Lo-Ellen)
2nd: Emily Proulx (Manitoulin)
Girls singles B
1st: Elizabeth Gavey (St. Mary's)
2nd: Alicia Atwell (St. Mary's)
Boys doubles A
1st: Grayson Whiteway, Lucas Moysey (Manitoulin)
2nd: Vedant Ugpaghada, Anthony Niro (St. Mary's)
Boys doubles B
1st: Jonah Gibson, Matti Jouppi (Lo-Ellen)
2nd: Kurtis Bondar, Daikaden Gauthier (Superior Heights)
Girls doubles A
1st: Lillian Li, Manu Patil (Lo-Ellen)
2nd: Chelsea Kennedy, Delaney Elliott (Korah)
Girls doubles B
1st: Elizabeth Gavey, Althea Alberto (St. Mary's)
2nd: Emma Young, Ava Young (Elliot Lake)
Mixed doubles A
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1st: Daniel Guzzo, Alecia Atwell (St. Mary's)
2nd: Vedant Ugpaghada, Elizabeth Gavey (St. Mary's)
Mixed doubles B
1st: Anthony Niro, Cassie Grenier (St. Mary's)
2nd: Divine Love, Claire Gould (Superior Heights)
Junior division
Boys singles A
1st: Noah Fortin (RDF*)
2nd: Thomas Berardelli (Lockerby)
* Riviere-des-Francais
Boys singles B
1st: Aaron Vallee (Champlain)
2nd: Carver Fournier-Demchuk (Macdonald-Cartier)
Girls singles A
1st: Manu Patil (Lo-Ellen)
2nd: Ashley Rancourt (RDF)
Girls singles B
1st: Mackenzie Lambert (Korah)
2nd: Josee Gascon (Horizon)
Boys doubles A
1st: Noah Fortin, Mathieu Hebert (RDF)
2nd: Kier Kalalo, John Rosales (St. Mary's)
Boys doubles B
1st: Jacob Beaudet, Ryerson Johnston (Horizon)
2nd: Lucas Watson, Alazar Stevens (Lasalle)
Girls doubles A
1st: Audrey Pitre, Ashley Rancourt (RDF)
2nd: Lexi Briscoe, Emma Merigioli (Horizon)
Girls doubles B
1st: Amelia Tanninen, Addison Gauthier (Korah)
2nd: Amore Maree, Grace Campbell (Superior Heights)
Mixed doubles A
1st: Noah Fortin, Audrey Pitre (RDF)
2nd: Persan Umrigar (St. Mary's), Charlee Kennedy (Korah)
Mixed doubles B
1st: Nicolas Leduc, Emma Merigioli (Horizon)
2nd: Addison Denomme, Scarlett Parri (Horizon)
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News Near Sault Ste. Marie
Badminton 101: Since Tokyo
Who's backUntil qualification officially begins this remains unclear.
Here are Tokyo's top still-active finishers and their rankings as of early April 2024:
Singles
1st: Viktor Axelsen, Denmark (Men's Singles - Gold)
2nd: Yu Fei Chen, China (Women's Singles - Gold)
3rd: Tzu Ying Tai, Chinese Taipei (Women's Singles - Silver)
3rd: Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, Indonesia (Men's Singles - Bronze)
12th: P.V. Sindhu, India (Women's Singles - Bronze)
Doubles
1st: Chen Qingchen/Yi Fan Jia, China (Women's Doubles, Silver)
1st: Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong, China (Mixed Doubles - Silver)
2nd: Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino, Japan (Mixed Doubles - Bronze)
5th: Wooi Yik Soh/Aaron Chia, Malaysia (Men's Doubles - Bronze)
5th: So Yeong Kim/Hee Uong Kong, South Korea (Women's Doubles - Bronze)
10th: Chi-Lin Wang/Yang Lee, Chinese Taipei (Men's Doubles - Gold)
Chen Long (Men's Singles - China)
Three-time Olympian Chen Long announced his retirement in 2023 at the BWF Sudirman Cup Finals. In Tokyo as the reigning men's singles champion, Chen made it to the finals, where he earned silver after falling to Denmark's Viktor Axelsen. Chen captured gold at the Rio Games in 2016, and also holds a bronze medal from his appearance at the 2012 Games. At his retirement ceremony, two-time world champion Chen shared that his life off the court would be one spent with his family. "I decided to retire from the national team after discussing with my family, because I wasn't able to accompany my son for a long time during my preparations for Tokyo 2020. It was not easy for my wife to take care of the whole family all by herself."
SEE MORE: Rio 2016: Chen Long beats Lee Chong Wei to win men's singles
Wang Yilyu (Mixed Doubles - China)
In what was both his Olympic debut and swan song, Wang partnered with Huang Dongping to capture the gold against another China team in the final. Wang also won two gold medals in mixed doubles at the Sudirman Cup and a gold in men's doubles at the Thomas Cup. After battling a long-term injury, Wang announced his retirement in June 2023.
Li Jun Hui (Men's Doubles - China)
After winning silver in Tokyo, Li announced his retirement just a short three months later at age 26. Li's career highlights include winning the World Championships in 2018 with partner Liu Yu Chen, and helping China capture the Thomas and Sudirman Cups in 2018 and 2019.
Greysia Polii (Women's Doubles - Indonesia)
Defending women's doubles champion Greysia Polii announced her retirement in 2022. Polii and teammate Apriyani Rahayu became the first unseeded women's team to win Olympic gold when they defeated China's Jia Yifan and Chen Qingchen in the final. Their victory gave Indonesia its first gold of the Tokyo Games and the nation's first medal in women's doubles.
New faces to watchKunlavut Vitidsarn (Thailand - Men's Singles)
The 22-year-old reigning world champion is expected to challenge Denmark's Viktor Axelsen.
Akane Yamaguchi (Japan - Women's Singles)
The 2021 and 2022 world champion, Akane Yamaguchi is currently ranked No. 13 in the world and expected to make her greatest Olympic run in Paris.
Seo Seung-jae/Chae Yoo-jung (South Korea - Mixed Doubles)
The 2020 Tokyo quarterfinalists, Seo and Chae made an international mark in 2023 when they captured the world championship after ousting No. 1 seed Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong of China. Seo and Chae will look to challenge Zheng and Huang in Paris.
World Championships2021 BWF World Championships (Huelva, Spain)
Men's Singles
G: Loh Kean Yew, Singapore
S: Srikanth Kidambi, India
B: Lakshya Sen, India
B: Anders Antonsen, Denmark
Women's Singles
G: Akane Yamaguchi, Japan
S: Tai Tzu-ying, Chinese Taipei
B: He Bingjiao, China
B: Zhang Yiman, China
Men's Doubles
G: Takuro Hoki/Yugo Kobayashi, Japan
S: He Jiting/Tan Qiang, China
B: Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi, Malaysia
B: Kim Astrup/Anders Rasmussen, Denmark
Women's Doubles
G: Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan, China
S: Lee Sohee/Shin Seung-chan, China
B: Mayu Matsumoto/Wakana Nagahara, Japan
B: Kim So-yeong/Kong Hee-yong, South Korea
Mixed Doubles
G: Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Sapsiree Taerattanachai, Thailand
S: Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino, Japan
B: Kyohei Yamashita/Naru Shinoya, Japan
B: Tang Chun Man/tse Ying Suet, Hong Kong
2022 BWF World Championships (Tokyo, Japan)
Men's Singles
G: Viktor Axelsen, Denmark
S: Kunlavut Vitidsarn, Thailand
B: Chou Tien-chen, Chinese Taipei
B: Zhao Junpeng, China
Women's Singles
G: Akane Yamaguchi, Japan
S: Chen Yufei, China
B: An Se-young, South Korea
B: Tai Tsz-ying, Chinese Taipei
Men's Doubles
G: Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik, Malaysia
S: Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan, Indonesia
B: Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto, Indonesia
B: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty, India
Women's Doubles
G: Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan, China
S: Kim Soyeong/Kong Hee-yong, South Korea
B: Mayu Matsumoto/Wakana Nagahara, Japan
B: Puttita Supajirakul/Sapsiree Taerattanachai, Thailand
Mixed Doubles
G: Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong, China
S: Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino, Japan
B: Wang Yi Lyu/Huang Dongping, China
B: Mark Lamsfuß/Isabel Lohau, Germany
2023 BWF World Championships (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Men's Singles
G: Kunlavut Vitidsarn, Thailand
S: Kodai Naraoka, Japan
B: Prannoy H.S., India
B: Anders Antonsen, Denmark
Women's Singles
G: An Se-young, South Korea
S: Carolina Marin, Spain
B: Chen Yufei, China
B: Akane Yamaguchi, Japan
Men's Doubles
G: Kang Min-hyuk/Seo Seung-jae, South Korea
S: Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup, Denmark
B: Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik, Malaysia
B: Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang, China
Women's Doubles
G: Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan, China
S: Apriyani Rahayu/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti, Indonesia
B: Zhang Shuxian/Zheng Yu, China
B: Kim So-yeong/Kong Hee-yong, South Korea
Mixed Doubles
G: Seo Seung-jae/Chae Yoo-jung, South Korea
S: Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong, China
B: Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin, China
B: Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino, Japan
Badminton Asia Championships 2024: Updated Schedule, Fixtures, Results, Live Streaming Details
The Badminton Asia Championships 2024 mark the 41st edition of the event. The tournament, which began in 1962, has been held annually since 1991. Initially, the event alternated between team and individual competitions until the team event was discontinued in 1994.
In the five disciplines of badminton, 89 out of the top 100 players or pairs hail from Asia. They will return to their continent with pride, having participated in one of the final major events to earn points for Olympic qualification.
As the points standings window draws to a close at the end of April, performances at national tournaments may be pivotal in determining a player's chances of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
When will Badminton Asia Championships 2024 begin?The Badminton Asia Championships 2024 will commence on April 9 and will conclude on April 14, 2024.
Where will Badminton Asia Championships 2023 be held?The Badminton Asia Championships 2024 will be held at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium in Ningbo, China.
Who are the defending champions of Badminton Asia Championships?Men's Singles : Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (Indonesia)
Women's Singles: Tai Tzu Ying (Chinese Taipei)
Men's Doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty (India)
Women's Doubles: Yuki Fukushima/ Sayaka Hirota (Japan)
Mixed Doubles: Jiang Zhenbang/ Wei Yaxin (China)
Badminton Asia Championships 2024: Seedings Men's SinglesMen's Singles: H.S. Prannoy, Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, Priyanshu Rajawat
Women's Singles – Pusarla Venkata Sindhu, Ashmita Chaliha, Malvika Bansod
Men's Doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty (withdrew), Hariharan Amsakarunan/ Ruban Rethinasabapathi
Women's Doubles: Gayatri Gopichand Pullela/ Treesa Jolly, Ashwini Ponnappa/ Tanisha Crasto, Rutaparna Panda/ Swetaparna Panda, Simran Singhi/ Ritika Thaker.
Mixed Doubles: Sathish Kumar Karunakaran/ Aadya Variyath, Ashith Surya/ Amrutha Prathamesh
Who are the players representing Malaysia at Badminton Asia Championships 2024?Men's Singles: Lee Zii Jia
Women's Singles: Goh Jin Wei
Men's Doubles: Ong Yew Sin/Teo Ee Yi, Man Wei Chong/ Kai Wun Tee, Aaron Chia/ Soh Wooi Yik, Goh Sze Fei/ Nur Izzuddin.
Women's Doubles: Vivian Hoo/ Lim Chiew Sien, Tan Pearly/ Thinnah Muralitharan.
Mixed Doubles: Goh Soon Huat/ Lai Shevon Jemie, Tan Kian Meng/ Lai Pei Jing, Chen Tang Jie/ Toh Ee Wei, Roy King Yap/ Valeree Siow.
Who are the players representing Singapore at Badminton Asia Championships 2024?Men's Singles: Loh Kean Yew
Women's Singles: Yeo Jia Min
Mixed Doubles: Terry Hee/Wei Tan Jessica
Where and how to watch live streaming and telecast of Badminton Asia Championships 2024 in India?Fans can catch the live streaming of all matches on the competition's official YouTube channel. More information on the live telecast and live streaming will be updated once it is available.
Where and how to watch live streaming and telecast of Badminton Asia Championships 2024 in Malaysia?The fans can catch the live telecast of the Badminton Asia Championships 2024 on Astro. Live streaming for the same will be available on Astro Arena and Astro SuperSport 4.
Where and how to watch live streaming and telecast of Badminton Asia Championships 2024 in Singapore?Singapore fans will be able to follow the live action via TV broadcast on SingTel, StarHub and SPOTV Now. SPOTV 1, 2, and SPOTV Now will be live streaming the tournament in Singapore.
Where and how to watch live streaming and telecast of Badminton Asia Championships 2024 in Indonesia?Fans in Indonesia will have to follow the live action in the Badminton Asia Team Championships 2024 on the tournament's official YouTube channel. More information on the live telecast and live streaming will be updated once it is available.
India's full schedule and fixtures for Badminton Asia Championships Day 1 – April 9 (Tuesday) Women's Singles Qualifying RoundsMalvika Bansod beat Nurani Ratu Azzahra (Group B Round 1) (21-18, 21-10)
Malvika Bansod vs Sofiya Zakirova (Group B Round 3)
Women's Doubles Qualifying RoundsRutaparna Panda/ Swetaparna Panda beat Weng Chi Ng/Pui Chi Wa (Group A Round 1) (21-18, 21-16)
Rutaparna Panda/ Swetaparna Panda vs Urmi Akter/Mst Nasima Khatun (Group A Round 3)
Simran Singhi/ Ritika Thaker beat Felicia Xin Hui Fong/ Fong Flora Xin Jie (Group C Round 1) (21-11, 21-16)
Simran Singhi/ Ritika Thaker beat Aminath Nabeeha/Fatimaah Nabaaha (Group C Round 2) (21-10, 21-18)
Mixed Doubles Qualifying RoundsSathish Kumar Karunakaran/ Aadya Variyath beat Hussain Zayan Shaheed/Fatimaah Nabaha Abdul Razzaq (Group A Round 1) (21-6, 21-4)
Sathish Kumar Karunakaran/ Aadya Variyath vs Mahd Sheik/ Khadijah Kawthar (Group A Round 3)
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