Badminton is a game for singles and double where players win points by hitting a shuttlecock over a high net so that it lands on the other sides of the court before the opposition can return it. After football, badminton is said to be the second most popular participation sport in the world, and is particularly popular in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Did you know...?
Badminton is the fastest racket game in the world with the shuttlecock travelling at up to 200 mph, that's faster than the Eurostar travels!
Badminton was named after Badminton House in Gloucestershire, the home of the Duke of Beaufort, where games were played as early as 1863.
Northern Ireland players Sinead Chambers (2007 & 2008 UKSG alumnus), Tony Stephenson (UKSG 2007 Boys' Singles winner) and Scotland's Kirsty Gilmour (UKSG 2008 and 9, UKSG Girls' Singles champion 2009) all played at the XIX Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
There will be four teams representing England, Scotland, Ulster and Wales competing in the badminton competition at School Games, with each team consisting of six boys and six girls. Players can compete in a maximum of three events from Boys' Singles, Girls' Singles, Boys' Doubles, Girls' Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. In each home country players compete in school based competitions and club based circuits, ultimately aiming to be chosen by selectors to compete at the Games.
For information regarding the selection policy for Badminton at the Sainsbury's 2012 School Games, please contact (Badminton England).