Badminton Team Looking to Ride Momentum and Learnings to Achieve Goals at #B2022
Canada qualified a record eight badminton athletes for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games resulting in a record performance for the team. Now, as the team looks to ride momentum into these Commonwealth Games, the team, which includes six athletes having competed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, is looking to turn lessons learned into hardware for Canada.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games badminton team includes 2014 Commonwealth Games Champion Michelle Li, Kristen Tsai, Rachel Honderich and Josephine Wu on the women’s side and Brian Yang, Nyl Yakura, Ty Lindeman and Adam Dong for the men. See Team Canada 2022 media guide for complete bios.
The eight Badminton Canada athletes have some high goals for the Games, aiming for a total of two medals, including a repeat gold medal performance like Michelle Li managed in Glasgow at the 2014 Games. Li is looking to capitalize on lessons learned at the 2018 Games including prioritizing her own mental health.
“I got injured in the bronze medal match in the last Commonwealth Games and lost out on a medal. I have definitely learned to prioritize my physical health as well as my mental health when I’m at the Games,” says the 2014 Games Champion. “I’m really looking forward to getting back on court at the Games and fighting with all I got.”
Nyl Yakura, who will be competing in the Men’s doubles event with Adam Dong is also building off lessons to stay healthy.
“I've learned that my pre-game rituals are very important and I know what I need to do and not do before my Games,” says Yakura. “I've learned a lot more about post-match recovery and pre-game warm-ups that will help me stay injury free.”
With mental and physical health sure to make a difference, other team members have learned to prioritize the once-in-a-lifetime experience that these Games bring.
“I learned that being at these Games is something to be cherished, and that I should take advantage of all aspects at these Games, whether it be competition-wise or leisure-wise,” says men’s singles competitor Brian Yang.
Women’s doubles competitor Kristen Tsai agrees on prioritizing the experience.
“One of my favourite things about a multi-sport games is the Team Canada feeling you get when you’re surrounded by fellow Canadian athletes and our amazing team of support staff,” says Tsai. “I’m really looking forward to being in that environment again - seeing familiar faces as well as getting to know new ones!”
The badminton competition for the 2022 Commonwealth Games begins Friday July 29th at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC). Canada starts preliminary play with Canada facing Uganda in the mixed team event.
CBC Sports will provide daily feeds of the sport competitions available on CBC Gem, cbcsports.ca and the CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices. Check out https://www.cbc.ca/sports/commonwealthgames for details.
