27 September 2024
The World Junior Blended Workforce Championships are a calendar spotlight within the badminton world and the England workforce wish to deliver the warmth because the competitors heads to China.
Badminton England have chosen a six-strong squad to go Nanchang with the competitors starting on Monday, and are decided to leap up the standings after ending 14th total final 12 months.
Assistant Pathway coach Kat Hurrell was optimistic in regards to the workforce’s prospects after a string of robust performances within the build-up.
“We’ve had a extremely good couple of weeks main into the occasion,” she mentioned.
“Loads of the workforce have been coaching on the Nationwide Badminton Centre so on-court preparations have been actually good. A number of sparring, excessive depth, excessive degree observe so I’m actually happy with the place we’re at.
“It’s a extremely attention-grabbing occasion,” she added. “We begin off with the workforce occasion – we’re in a bunch with 4 different nations – and we’ve obtained some robust competitors, however we wish to win.”
What a 12 months it has been for Badminton in England 🤩
We’re so pleased with all of the wonderful achievements since launching our technique final 12 months and we will not look ahead to what lies forward!https://t.co/M1U9AUjETk
— Badminton England (@BadmintonEnglnd) September 26, 2024
Of the six English gamers, Lucy Brierley and Jia Bin Lee are the one two with expertise on the World Blended Workforce Juniors, with Benjamin Horseman, Jason Ou, Lila Dundas and, Rajvi Parab finishing the squad.
And Hurrell is assured the energy and depth of the squad is an thrilling prospect.
“For everybody else will probably be their first expertise at this degree,” she mentioned. “We’ve an actual selection – some full age gamers, some a bit youthful, however they’ll all get nice publicity and expertise on a giant stage.
“It’s such an thrilling occasion and will probably be an incredible alternative for them to play in opposition to a number of the finest gamers on this planet,” she added. “It’s the primary main alternative our gamers get to play at an occasion of this scale.
“It’s additionally the most effective likelihood for our gamers to see what the extent of play is the world over. We’re normally updated with that throughout Europe however we don’t at all times get to see the extent from additional afield.
“It’s nice for our gamers to go and see for themselves, with their very own eyes, what they’re up in opposition to.”
England will face Japan, Slovenia, Latvia and Uganda within the group phases with 40 groups set to compete throughout eight teams previous to the knockout and inserting phases.
Hurrell isn’t any novice in relation to teaching on the primary stage, however retired Olympian and former nationwide champion Toby Penty can even be current to supply his experience as an assistant coach.
Good luck to our u19 workforce who’re off to China 🇨🇳 in the present day for the BWF World Junior Championships 🤩👏
Let’s Go Workforce! 🏴#TeamEngland #LetsGo #Yonex pic.twitter.com/xnEu1pqibD
— Badminton England (@BadmintonEnglnd) September 27, 2024
“Toby brings plenty of expertise as each a participant and a coach,” she mentioned. “He’s actually good as a result of he’s capable of relate his expertise to our gamers who actually wish to have interaction with him.
“It’s actually useful to have somebody who’s been there, carried out it and is aware of how they’re going to be feeling once they step out on the courtroom.
“I do know the workforce will profit from his data.He’s a stunning man to be round so he’ll be an incredible addition to the workforce and actually good at retaining the gamers calm, in addition to getting them actually pumped and excited for the occasion.”
With the person competitors to look forward to on the shut of the workforce occasion, Hurrell is aware of expectation from gamers and followers will probably be excessive, however believes the outcomes will come if the workforce preserve their focus.
“Practising on the primary courts and getting the gamers acclimatised to the corridor will probably be key,” she mentioned. “It takes them a while to regulate however we’ll get them into routine to really feel aware of the house.
“So far as the person competitors goes, it’s at all times exhausting to foretell as a result of we don’t know who we’re going to be up in opposition to.
“I simply wish to see actually good rivals ready to provide all the things they’ve obtained on the courtroom and profit from the chance.
“If they’ll present their finest degree, hopefully we are able to preserve progressing by means of the match – we at all times attempt to set out and end within the high 16.
“Meaning we have to end second in our group, so we will probably be aiming for that. We’ve obtained robust competitors in opposition to Japan, however we are going to go into each match making an attempt to be as aggressive as doable.”
Whereas the gamers will compete as people in some parts of the match, Hurrell was additionally stuffed with reward for the broader workforce that make all of it doable.
She added: “Badminton England, YONEX, the coaches, help workforce, dad and mom – there’s such an enormous community behind the scenes.
“We’ll solely be a small workforce in China, however we couldn’t do it with out the help of all these folks at residence.
“We’re at all times very grateful for the trouble that goes in to get the gamers up to now.”
