Preparations, rehearsals and planning have been going on behind the scenes for weeks, because the 1st BC Beuel can host a major national badminton event: The German U15 and U17 Championships will be held in Bonn next weekend.
Originally it was supposed to be the U19 age group. Unfortunately, due to the European Youth Championships taking place at the same time, it had to be postponed by a week and will now take place together with the U13 championships a week later in Gera. Despite the postponement in Bonn, three top people are missing. The U17 players Linus Emmerich (Spvgg. Sterkrade-Nord), Mats Wohlers (TSG Bergedorf) and Gloria Poluektov (VB Grün-Weiß Mülheim) can take part in the U19 European Championships in Ibiza.
But even with two age groups, it gets busy in the Erwin Kranz Hall. It’s good that the newly built Hans Riegel Performance Center can offer relief. The gym on the ground floor, where health classes are normally offered, can now be used as a “warm-up room”. An elevator provides barrier-free access from the parking lot via the performance center entrance to the clubhouse and the grandstand.
The seedings for the DM U15/17 2024 at a glance.
In the hall itself, badminton fans can look forward to exciting encounters – especially because unexpected pairings have emerged in the double disciplines and it is therefore difficult to predict who will secure titles and medals.
While the favorites in the U15 age group come from the south of the Republic and the capital, names from North Rhine-Westphalia are highly regarded among the U17s: Leon Kaschura (SC Union Lüdinghausen), Kalliope Hermel (TV Refrath), Lisa Paula Bonnemann (BV Wesel Rot -Weiss) and Fynn Ohliger (TV Refrath) are each good for medals in several disciplines.
So far, six players from the host club’s ranks have managed to qualify, although they are largely from younger age groups and therefore start from outsider positions.
The DM U15/U17 starts next Friday (November 29th) with the first rounds in mixed doubles.
