Guwahati has been announced as the host city for the BWF World Junior Championships in 2025, the Badminton World Federation announced on Tuesday.
The World Juniors usually feature a team event first, followed by individual events in all five categories, and the BWF said both will be held at the Badminton Association of India (BAI) National Center of Excellence, in the north-eastern region of India. Accommodation rights were confirmed at the BWF Council meeting on April 28.
The World Juniors were last held in India in Pune in 2008. India’s only gold medal in the major junior category came that year when Saina Nehwal defeated Sayaka Sato to become world champion .
The NCOE has 14 badminton courts, an international standard gymnasium and a capacity of approximately 4,000 spectators. “The awarding of the BWF World Junior Championship to Guwahati confirms India’s growing reputation as a badminton powerhouse, capable of not only producing champion players but also hosting major international events. During the Guwahati Masters, BWF officials also visited the National Center of Excellence to check the facilities and other arrangements,” BAI general secretary Sanjay Mishra said.
In July 2021, the BWF announced that India would host the World Championships in 2026. Originally, the 2023 Sudirman Cup was to be held in India, but it was awarded to Suzhou in China, with India agreeing to host the renowned senior event. in 2026. Tuesday’s announcement means India will host a major BWF event in consecutive years. The host city for the 2026 flagship tournament has not yet been officially announced.
-BWF President Poul-Erik Hoyer said it was exciting to see a major BWF championship return to India.
“India’s production line of elite badminton talent is booming, and it is of great significance for the BWF to host our World Juniors in India for only the second time,” Hoyer said in a statement . “The all-new BAI National Center of Excellence is a state-of-the-art facility for badminton and will be the ideal arena for our next generation of talent to compete for team and individual glory.”
The NCOE, with top-notch facilities, came to Guwahati last year. It promised personalized attention, with high-level coaches to help those who demonstrate a hunger to succeed. Baseline fitness standards are expected to increase and fundamentals will be deepened. The results will be closely monitored over the next 2-3 years as a group of adolescents are brought together. Although it is open to juniors from across the country, it is particularly helpful to talent from the North East.
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First published online on: 04/30/2024 at 7:59 p.m. IST
