Berkshire’s brightest badminton prodigies were recently crowned the inaugural champions the 2024 U13 Babolat Cup.
Rooney Leung and Abby Zyi En Gan took gold in their respective male and female U13 events at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre, winning all of their group and knockout matches in emphatic style.
Leung, who started playing badminton when he was five years old, beat Nitai Wijetunge 21-17 21-11 in the final and was thrilled to take the crown after a long day of matches and fun.
And as one of the more diminutive athletes in his age category, Leung hoped his victory can help showcase that you don’t have to be the tallest to win.
Rooney Leung
“I’m quite small in my age group so I really look up to any national or international players who are quite small to see their tactics and movements,” he said.
“Winning this event even though I’m a lot smaller than other people gives me a lot of confidence moving forward because I have proved that you can still play good no matter what.
“I think I did really well in how I managed my phsyical and fitness during the tournament.
“We played seven matches before you got to the finals. You could see that some people were putting lots of energy into those early matches when they didn’t need to whilst I saved it.”
Yesterday we were able to debut the U13 @babolat Cup! 🏆
We are very thankful to Babolat for sponsoring the competition as we continue to inspire the next generation of Badminton players as we see them thrive in more competitive opportunities 🤩#ASportForEveryone pic.twitter.com/cc4oWvrzZg
— Badminton England (@BadmintonEnglnd) November 11, 2024
Gan saw a tough start to her final but eventually overcame Alice Demina 22-20 21-10 to take the title.
“In the game, I was lagging at the start so I told myself I didn’t need to give up and I just played my game,” she said.
“The thing I liked about the game was the speed, it was really fast and I really enjoyed the games. It was really fun.”
Gan was one of 29 youngsters invited to the U13 Babolat Cup finals in Sandwell, having already won their respective county competitions.
Having had a successful run up to the finals, Gan revealed that she was quietly confident heading into the day.
“I had pretty high hopes,” she said. “I just told myself don’t be overconfident.”I have been progressing quite a lot. At the start of the year I wasn’t very stable but I think I have met my goals. My recent goal was to be stable and I think I have done that.”
Aside from the busy day of competition, the young athletes recieved a surprise visit from Badminton England international star Chloe Birch.
Birch spent the lunch hour giving the next generation some top tips and taking part in a Q&A session. Gan was even able to play against Birch in a moment she remembered fondly as her first match with an international medallist.
“It was pretty nice speaking to her,” said Gan. “I had a nice opportunity to speak to her and play against her. It was my only chance to do that against a national player.”
With the U13 Babolat Cup titles under their belt, both Leung and Gan have ambitions to improve their badminton game.
Whether it’s becoming a national champion or working on specific skills, the duo have proven that Berkshire has a bright future on the badminton court.
“I want to be the first in my age group and become a national champion,” said Leung. “I love these tournaments because they give me the chance to prove to people that I can be the best in my age group.”
Gan added: “In 2025, my goal is to win more tournaments and get my ranking up but also at the same time enjoy my progression and the speed of the shuttle.
