Young athletes smash it at Ken Kay

AUSTRALIA’S best young badminton players are serving and smashing in Ballarat this week as the Yonex Under-13/Under-17 National Team and Individual Championships take place at Ken Kay Stadium.

Badminton Australia and Ballarat Badminton Association are hosting the major sporting event which is seeing 250 athletes and about 250 supporting officials and spectators in Wendouree.

Thirteen-year-old Victorian team player Tandi Mushini’s team competed in division two between Monday and Wednesday.

“We won all our matches, except one against another Victorian club,” she said. “It’s been pretty tough competition.

“We’ve enjoyed hanging out with everyone, gaining experience, watching others play, and trying our best.”

CEO of Badminton Australia Tjitte Weistra said the atmosphere throughout the week has been exciting, and the tournament is running smoothly.

“It’s actually the first time the under-13 national championships have been held, and it’s been great,” he said.

“These athletes are the top in Australia, and there’s fantastic local badminton community spirit.

“We’ve been very fortunate with the support of the City of Ballarat, the State Government, and Yonex, our sponsor, because it is a major event, and there’s a huge amount of work and resources going into delivering it.”

Ballarat Badminton Association will host the event for a third and final year in 2024, and manager Rhonda Cator said she hopes the tournament will inspire local kids to continue with the sport, or to pick up a racquet for the first time.

She said the association’s members value the solid partnership they have with Badminton Australia.

“It’s fantastic, they’re very professional at what they do, have clear guidelines and expectations, and that’s good for us as an organisation,” she said.

Ken Kay Stadium is the biggest regional Victorian badminton venue, and Mr Weistra said it’s ideal for the size of this year’s Under-13/Under-17 National Team and Individual Championships.