Private sector initiative to build a Grand Slam catergory event
Twenty-seven senior Badminton players from three Hyderabad clubs have been lined up to play in the inaugural Brave Sword International Team Challenge 2022 in December, a private-sector led initiative of building a grand slam catergory sport event.
Recent medal winners from the Spain World Championship Bagavan Srinivas Vidhyadhar Jandhayala, 43, Lakhwinder Pal Singh, 44, and Aneesha Mehta, 38, are in the lineup for Singapore’s first professional badminton tournament, organizer Brave Sword International Academy said on 14 Oct 2022.
The tournament of the sport’s star and bemedaled players, to be held 2-4 Dec 2022, is sanctioned by the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA).
The Indian players are from Hyderabad-based clubs Pro Masters Rangers Badminton, Pro Masters Riffles Badminton and Pro Masters Rockerz Badminton.
In all, 19 teams are participating from many countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Australia, Thailand and Myanmar.
The 3-day tournament will showcase 80+ mixed double matches with male players aged 45 and above and female player aged 30 and above; 70+ Men’s Doubles with minimum age 30, and 100+ Men’s Doubles with minimum age of 40.
“The return of the some of the inspirational badminton legends will create a buzz with the local badminton fraternity,” SBA Deputy President Chang Wing Kai said at the tournament announcement.
In addition to encouraging active aging and healthy living, the organizers upcoming plans include positioning Singapore as an international badminton training hub, talent spotting as well as nurturing and developing potential youth.
“The December event will bring together the family of badminton legends and stars to Singapore in a convivial yet competitive settings,” added Jose Da Rosa Junior, organizer of the Brave Sword International Team Challenge 2022.
“We are pleased to share that the international team challenge will be an annual affair,” said Da Rosa, a retired businessman and proponent of the badminton grand slam on commercial scale.
Long-term vision is to raise the tournament standard to that of an international circuit-based tournaments that are featuring players turned professional in other sports, hoped Da Rosa. fiinews.com
