Auckland Badminton's teams overcame two late withdrawals due to COVID-19. With Jack Wang out of Team 1, Clive Luna stepped up from Team 2. To replace Cynthia Fan from Team 2, Rebecca Fong came out of retirement to play. Despite these last-minute setbacks, Auckland Badminton's teams showcased their strength and skill in the 2024 Wisden and Slazenger Cups, both securing commendable second-place finishes. 

Wisden Cup Performance: Auckland 1 displayed dominant form throughout the qualification rounds. They opened with a commanding 12-0 victory over Nelson, followed by a 10-2 win against Waitakere. Their winning streak continued with a 10-2 triumph over Canterbury 1 and a 9-3 victory against Wellington North. Auckland 1 narrowly defeated North Harbour 2 with a 7-5 score. In the final, they faced North Harbour 1 and, despite a strong effort, were edged out 8-4, finishing second.

Slazenger Cup Journey: Auckland 2 also performed admirably. Despite an initial 5-7 setback against Wellington North, they bounced back with victories over Canterbury 2 (11-1), Waikato (8-4), Otago (7-5), and Nelson (10-2). In a hard-fought final against Counties Manukau, they were narrowly defeated 5-7, securing second place in the Slazenger Cup.

Tony Naidu, Auckland Badminton Development Manager, praised the teams' efforts: "Our players showed remarkable dedication and skill throughout the tournament. Both Auckland 1 and Auckland 2 have made us incredibly proud with their performances."

John McGregor, General Manager of Auckland Badminton, echoed this sentiment: "Securing second place in both the Wisden and Slazenger Cups is a testament to the hard work and determination of our players and coaches. We are thrilled with their achievements and look forward to building on this success."

Auckland Badminton celebrates the exceptional performance of both teams, highlighting their strong presence in national competitions and setting the stage for future successes.

Team 1 

Laura Lin
Angelina Ung
Mia Xu
Rosie Yang
Camellia Zhou
Coco Zhu
Jonathan Curtin
Adam Jeffrey
Clive Luna
Avinash Shastri
Ryan Tong
Dacmen Vong
Jack Wang

Coach: Feng Li

Team 2 

Melody Cai
Xiaonan Chen
Cynthia Fan
Rebecca Fong
Sonia Liu
Amelia Su
Hannah Wu
Warren Ji
Wesley Lau
Zeck Li
Douglas Sheppard
Joseph Wu
Eric Lu 

Coach: Anush Pandian

Article added: Wednesday 12 June 2024