Events

Badminton Canada is proud to reflect on the performance of our athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Despite a challenging competition, our athletes displayed incredible professionalism, heart, and determination, representing our nation with pride.

Mike Luck, the High Performance Manager, shared his thoughts on the team's journey: “Our athletes displayed true professionalism throughout our pre-games training camp and during our time here in Paris. They played with heart and determination to make our country proud. We are all a bit disappointed with the final result, but we are honoured to have these athletes wear the maple leaf for Canada.”

The competition was fierce, and while none of our athletes advanced to the final stages, their dedication and effort were evident. Mike Butler, ChPC, the National Team Head coach, expressed his pride in the team’s performance: “Unfortunately for our team, there is no one moving on, but everyone gave it their all. I am proud of our entire team and their commitment and dedication to our sport, and I look forward to the next time.”

Men’s Doubles Recap

Adam Dong & Nyl Yakura

Adam Dong and Nyl Yakura have had a remarkable journey leading to the Paris 2024 Olympics. Their partnership began in late 2021, and in a short span, they achieved significant milestones. They won their first tournament together at the Mexican International in December 2021. Over the next couple of years, they collected numerous accolades, including a bronze medal at the 2022 Pan American Championships, gold at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, and silver at the 2024 Pan American Championships​.

At the Paris 2024 Olympics, they faced tough competition in the men’s doubles group stage. Their opening match was against the top-ranked Chinese team, Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, which they lost 2-0​ ​. The following matches ended up with opponents’ winning: against the British duo Ben Lane and Sean Vendy (21-14 and 21-12) and the Malaysians Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik (21-10 and 21-15). Despite the setback, their journey to the Olympics showcased their resilience and determination.

Women’s Singles Recap

Michelle Li

Michelle Li's journey to the Paris 2024 Olympics has been marked by remarkable perseverance and achievements. Her career includes multiple gold medals at the Pan American Games and Championships.

Li has had a series of significant milestones throughout her career. She made her Olympic debut in 2012, where she and her partner, Alex Bruce, finished fourth in women's doubles, the best result for Canada in Olympic badminton history. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Li competed in singles, finishing 17th. In Tokyo 2020, she advanced to the Round of 16 in women's singles, equaling the best finish for a Canadian in this category.

In the lead-up to Paris 2024, Li faced substantial challenges, including knee surgery and recovery from injuries that forced her to miss the 2023 Pan Am Games. Despite these obstacles, she made a strong comeback, securing a silver medal at the Pan American Championships in 2024 and finishing third at the German Open, a BWF Super Tour 300 event, in March 2024

Li debuted winning in Paris. Her first match against Thet Htar Thuzar from Myanmar had the scoreboard marked 21-16 and 25-23. The second match, a hard battle against Akane Yamaguchi, ended up 12-21, with the Japanese victorious. This last match ended Michelle’s Olympic journey. She is still Canada's most successful female badminton player.

Men’s Singles RecapTop of Form

Brian Yang

At just 22 years old, Yang has already built an impressive career. He first competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as the youngest member of Canada’s badminton team. Yang's notable achievements include winning gold at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games and becoming the first men's singles player from the Pan American region to reach the final of a BWF Super Tour 500 event, where he won silver at the 2024 Indonesia Masters.

In his Paris journey, Yang won the first match against Dmitriy Panarin from Kazakhstan 21-18 and 21-10), and the second match against Kenta Nishimoto ended with the scoreboard at 21-14 and 21-18. The Japanese won the match.

Badminton Canada would like to thank the athletes, the assistant coach Mario Santoso, and supporters who have been part of this journey. We remain committed to nurturing talent and preparing for future competitions, with an eye on the next Olympic Games.