The first round of the 2024 Badminton World Youth Championship individual competition- the Chinese team’s young players won and advanced

On October 8, 2023, the 2024 Yonex World Junior Badminton Championships kicked off at the Nanchang International Sports Center in the Honggutan District of Nanchang, Jiangxi. The competition began with individual events, and the Chinese team had an impressive day, winning all six matches they participated in.

In the women’s singles, China was represented by Yuan Anqi, a silver medalist from the 2022 World Junior Championships, and Dai Qinyi. After sitting out the 2023 competition due to injury, Yuan made a strong comeback, easily defeating her Estonian opponent with scores of 21-3 and 21-6. While she’s still wearing a knee brace for added support, Yuan expressed her optimism about her recovery. “I have completely overcome my injury,” she stated. “The brace is just for some extra protection.”

Dai Qinyi, born in 2006, also delivered an outstanding performance, advancing from the round of 132 to 64 with a decisive 21-4, 21-6 victory over her opponent. This being her final World Junior Championships appearance, she emphasized her commitment to leaving no stone unturned in the individual events. “I don’t want to have any regrets. In previous championships, I didn’t perform as well as I hoped. After this training period, I want to achieve a better result to cap off my junior career,” she shared.

The Chinese mixed doubles teams also showcased their skills, with Wang Zihang and Cao Zihan, as well as Tu Yicheng and Tan Kexuan, both scoring convincing wins. Wang and Cao took down Latvia’s Rignars and Einats, while Tu and Tan triumphed over Peru’s Guillermo and Naomi with a score of 21-12, 21-9.

In the men’s singles, Chinese players Li Zhihang and Liu Yangming also secured victories. Li faced New Zealand’s Tan Jiexuan and claimed an authoritative win with scores of 21-2, 21-7. “I didn’t compete in the team event a few days ago, so this first match in the individual event was about getting accustomed to the venue and showcasing my style of play. The next two matches will be tougher, so I’ll focus on adapting to the court and finding my rhythm,” he explained. According to the draw, Li is set to meet his teammate, top seed Hu Zhe’an, in the third round.

Liu Yangming was the last to take the court for the day, challenging Denmark’s Thomassen. “It’s exciting to participate in such an international competition for the first time,” he commented. “I hope to display my full potential and leverage the home court advantage to turn pressure into motivation.” Despite a few challenges from his opponent, the 2007-born Liu showed resilience and ultimately won with scores of 21-16, 21-13.

The 2024 World Junior Badminton Championships feature both team and individual events, with the individual competitions running from October 7 to October 13.