General

The year 2024 was intense, marked by challenges and remarkable achievements that shaped the trajectory of Canadian badminton. Throughout the year, our National Team pushed boundaries, overcame obstacles, and reached new heights in competition. These accomplishments reflect the dedication, resilience, and passion of each player, coach, and staff member brought to the sport.

Under the leadership of Mike Butler, the National Team Head Coach, the team has displayed incredible skill on the court and laid the foundation for future success. In his reflections, Coach Butler highlights the year's standout moments, from thrilling victories to hard-earned lessons, and shares how these experiences have shaped the team’s preparation for the coming year.

 

January

• Indonesia Masters - Brian Yang got to the finals, defeating Lee Zii Jia and Anthony Ginting along the way before losing to Anders Antonssen in three close games. Brian received a silver medal, an unprecedented achievement from a Pan Am region player.

February

• Canada won both the Men’s and Women’s Pan Am Cup, with the Men’s team beating Brazil and the Women defeating the USA in the finals, securing spots for the World Team Championships in Chengdu, China.

March

• Tough draws prevailed at the French Open, and Brian Yang and Michelle Li played very well but succumbed in three close games in their respective singles matches. Canadians got a chance to play at the Olympic venue, making it a worthwhile trip.

• At the All-England’s, Michelle Li had a good win versus Mia Bilchfeldt of Denmark before bowing out to He Bing Jiao in the round of 16.

April

• April was a tough month, particularly at the Pan Am Individuals, where Canadians did not win any titles, and we failed to secure extra spots at the Olympics. Our players put it all out there, but due to injuries and other factors, it was not meant to be.

• Thomas/Uber Cup finals at Chengdu – Once again, tough draws seeing China and Korea in preliminary rounds for the Thomas Cup, but we are happy to secure a win over Australia. Our Women’s team met tough teams in China and India but defeated Singapore.

May

• Junior National Championships, held in Moncton, was a big success, with high participation in all age categories and was the final qualifying event for our Junior National Team.

July

• Canada Open, once again a 500-level event, was held in Calgary. Due to the high-level event, it drew many top-ranked players. Our best result was Michelle Li, who reached the quarterfinals in Women’s Singles.

• Canada sent a full contingent of players to the Pan Am Junior Team and Individual Championships, where Canadians won 37/60 medals.

• Badminton Canada held a staging camp in Markham leading up to the Paris Olympics. This went well, with local clubs and personal coaches supporting this event.

• Paris Olympics was one of the highlights of this year. Our players worked extremely hard through injury and other obstacles to meet their goals. In MD, having only 17 teams, meant there were no weak opponents, Adam and Nyl met two Olympic medallists in their preliminary rounds. Brian Yang defeated his first opponent but unfortunately could not reach his Japanese opponent. The same could be said for Michelle Li, who lost her second match to Akane Yamaguchi in three games. Michelle came ever so close to moving out of her pool.

September

• Chloe Hoang won the Costa Rica Future Series in Women's Singles and reached the XD finals with partner Timothy Lock.

October

• Michelle Li defeated Pusarla Sindhu in the first round at the Arctic Open and won her second round, earning a spot in the quarter-finals.

• Denmark Open saw Michelle Li defeat Busanan of Thailand soundly in her first match, eventually reaching the quarter-finals, losing to second-seeded Wang Zhi Yi of China.

November

• Rachel Chan reached the WS finals of the Irish Open, losing to a Japanese opponent.

December

• Brian Yang won Men’s Singles at the Yonex Canadian International Challenge. Several players reached the finals, including Michelle Li in Women’s Singles, Ty Lindeman/Kevin Lee in Men’s Doubles, Catherine Choi/Jacqueline Cheung in Women’s Doubles, and Victor Lai in Men’s Singles.  

• Badminton Canada was able to get some athlete testing done (both physical and technical) during the last few days of the Yonex Canadian International Challenge, which involved athletes from all our National Teams – Senior, NextGen, and Junior.

 

“We have more and more Canadian athletes competing internationally, which is encouraging as we look ahead towards the next Olympic in LA. 2025 is shaping up to be another busy and productive year", said National Team Head Coach Mike Butler.

 

The Canadian badminton community, which has supported the team’s journey, can look forward to even more significant accomplishments in 2025. As the team gears up for next year’s challenges, the collective spirit and relentless drive promise to elevate Canadian badminton to even higher levels of success.