Just back from Australia, three Otago badminton players are keen to keep improving in the game, having had a taste of international competition.
Emily Perry (15), a year 11 pupil at St Hilda's Collegiate, Adithi Alexander (15), a year 12 pupil at St Hilda's Collegiate, and Josh Kellett (15), a year 11 pupil at Otago Boys' High School, were members of the Mainland under-17 badminton team which travelled to Perth, in Western Australia, for a tournament involving New Zealand and Australian teams.
New Zealand was spilt into three regions representing the top half of the North Island, the Central Districts, and the South Island. All the Australian states and territories were represented at the tournament.
The tournament was the June Bevan tournament, named after a former Australian badminton player.
The event was played on a team basis initially and then switched to individual competition.
The Mainland team was ranked eighth and outdid itself to finish in sixth position, coach Sam Botting said. It finished top of the New Zealand teams at the tournament.
She said the standard of play was high and it was good for the players to play against different opponents.
In the individual competition, Emily won through from her pool, winning all her games and made it through to the knock-out rounds.
Adithi won through to the plate final, also in the individual competition.
The team section of the tournament was won by a side from New South Wales.
The Otago trio first started playing badminton on a Friday night, when players can be introduced to the sport, and their abilities had grown from there.
The trio have trips organised around the country this year as they try to continue to progress up the national ranks.
