I recently had the pleasure of attending my second World Junior Championship, held in Santander, Spain. It was a privilege to cover and follow some of the youngest and most promising badminton players who may become future champions. Witnessing the incredible skills and talents of these young athletes was truly remarkable.

The World Juniors platform is an important event for me because it showcases some of the best kids performing and delivering on the world stage. I remember watching Kunlavut lift his World Juniors back in 2019, and this year, at the India Open 2023, he defeated the mighty world number Viktor Axelsen.

One of the most significant parts of the event was the coaches’ workshop, hosted by the Badminton World Federation, which offered valuable tips and insights for young players and coaches. I had the opportunity to meet Flandy Limpele, the former Indonesian badminton player and Olympic bronze medalist, who is now a coach for the Indonesian badminton team. Limpele was gracious and accommodating, and it was an honor to talk to him about his experiences as a player and coach. He shared valuable insights into the sport, which were informative and enlightening. I also had the privilege of meeting Zhu Weilun, a former Olympic badminton player from China, who provided fascinating insights into the current state of the sport and his experiences coaching young players.

Watching the umpires being briefed firsthand was a great way to learn about the intricacies of umpiring in a tournament and the thought process that goes on within the team to ensure perfect execution of umpiring in a tournament.

The matches themselves were breathtaking, and it was a pleasure to witness some of the top young badminton players in the world competing against each other. One of the most memorable matches was between Chinese Taipei’s Kuo Kuan Lin and India’s S Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian, with Kuo winning 21-14 22-20. Another match that stood out was Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki overcoming Yuan An Qi of China 21-14 20-22 21-17.

Attending the Spain World Juniors badminton Championship was an unforgettable experience. I am excited to cover this year’s event and see how these youngsters continue to grow and compete in the future. I am eager to see what the next generation of players will bring to the sport.