Guillermo Allier, the Mexican icon of world badminton

Mexico is a country with thousands of exponents in various sports, including badminton. Within this discipline, Guillermo Allier is one of the best, with a long history that includes four National Championships, seven runners-up and a third place. in male and mixed doubles categories, in addition to great international recognition.

Considered one of the best talents in Mexican badminton, Allier is fortunate to be part of the first Mexican team that participated in the Thomas Cup, the most important competition in this sport.

“To have had this experience and to participate in the Thomas Cup games is really a very important experience in my life., since it is possible to compare the importance of the Thomas Cup in badminton with the Davis Cup in tennis, which are international experiences of category players, so having participated in them was really a great satisfaction”, said Guillermo Allier in an interview with MILLENNIUM–The Hobby.

raised in sports

Allier was born on June 7, 1935 in the Guerrero neighborhood of Mexico City, right in the bosom of a family strongly linked to sport and that helped him grow up in a completely healthy environment.

His father, Guillermo Allier y Osorno, was a swimmer and captain of the swimming team at Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México, where he also worked; but he also played badminton in veterans’ tournaments.

“I remember that in the forties, my dad gave me a newspaper, in which he appeared in a photo and had won first place in butterfly style, backstroke and front crawl.. It was a great satisfaction that he gave me that role, because to this day I keep it”, he commented.

His mother was Evangelina Mendoza Centeno de Allier, who also played badminton; his brother Alejandro served in swimming; his brother Eduardo opted for diving and his sister Carolina also stood out in badminton and even the duo of brothers won six National Championships and two First Force in the Federal District.

“It was in 1949 that my father made a great effort and admitted us to the Chapultepec Sports Center, to continue with our sports development.”, commented Guillermo, who before knowing badminton, practiced swimming.

However, he could not use the pool during the June rains, so he decided to tour the sports facilities and learn about the disciplines that were practiced indoors. It was during that journey that he discovered badmintonwhich immediately struck him.

“I liked seeing their facilities and the people who were there practicing; I saw them play with enthusiasm, hitting the rooster. Since then I began to practice in our private hitting the rooster and putting in front of neighbors, my brothersEven my mom helped me when she had her time to do it”, he recalled.

quite a promise

The practice helped him and he was considered for his first international competition: the Western States Open in 1954. He went to California and returned to that same competition in 1957 to become champion in the category B. “I am very proud of that occasion, because I had the opportunity to see our flag raised and the National Anthem played… it was an extremely emotional moment.”

Allier began the decade of the sixties as one of the Mexican promises in this sport. That earned him to be considered for the first Mexican team in the Thomas Cup. He was elected headline along with Antonio and Raúl Rangel, Manuel Ordorica, Óscar Luján Jr. and Sergio Fraustro; meanwhile, Guillermo Rossell and Salvador Peniche were substitutes.

It was on February 22 and 23 that our country faced Japan in the urban gym of the SCOP Center in the Narvarte neighborhood, where Mexico fell to the Japanese, but left a great first experience in Allier.

“I was selected nationally in 1964, 1967 and 1970, being an honor for me to represent Mexico in international competitions. A year after that historic debut, the International Badminton Federation gave me the title of international player, something that made me very happy, recognizing me among the best in the country”.

What’s more

little support

Allier recognizes that this sport does not have the same support as others and that, Although it is good news that they will compete in the Olympic Games, there is still a lot to do for the sport to continue developing. “Here in Mexico City there is very little support, it is not a crowd sport, it is very selective, I hope that the authorities see what is in other countries, such as the United States, Japan and China. I hope they support, but those who played a few months ago in Tokyo, for me they are champions”.

Titles in National Championship

men’s doubles