Four Para Badminton athletes have been invited to attend the Australian National Badminton Championships for para athletes in Victoria, Australia this month.
Athletes Regina Edward, Laho Maiauka and David Kaniku, and fellow athlete, Dorna Longbut as Team Manager left for Melbourne yesterday (Thursday). The 3-day event starts on the third and ends on the sixth of May 2024 and is being supported by the Oceania Badminton Confederation, This will be followed by the Badminton Para training camp from the 6th of May to the 9th of May and they return on May 10.
The team was joined by the New Coach Ian Bridge who arrived today in Melbourne.
Badminton Coach Brian Karo said the invitation again provides exposure and another opportunity for the para-athletes to get some quality competition at such international games. Karo said this is not the first time for the four athletes who have attended recent Oceania championships in Melbourne.
”So this nothing new to them but again we emphasize to them the exposure and experience they get, so that when they come back, at least they bring that experience back, to train most of the other athletes in the sport.”
Karo said this is the first championships for this year while others are yet to be confirmed.
On the domestic calendar, Karo said they will mobilise soon to get some para championships going again including the juniors. He said they would like to use this trip to Melbourne as an exposure, to motivate and attract more athletes to come out and join para sport, such as badminton.