In an effort to expand the sport of badminton, the Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) on Monday introduced the new outdoor game, Air Badminton, to students of city school St. Rose’s High.
The initiative comes two weeks after the newest form of Badminton was officially launched in Guyana, at the National Park.
To kickstart the programme at the school, the GBA donated a quantity of racquets, shuttlecocks and nets.
President of the GBA, Gokarn Ramdhani, said: “I am pleased that St. Rose’s Sports Coordinator, Mr. Alque Stanley, came on board with helping us to promote the Air Badminton and also help the students of St. Rose’s High School to have an interest in Badminton and especially as some of them will be writing Physical Education for CSEC. Mr. Stanley has been part of this CSEC programme in the past few years.”
Ramdhani added that the GBA will continue to promote Air Badminton in Guyana, and will do so in conformity with the COVID-19 guidelines.
What is Air Badminton?
Air Badminton is an ambitious new development project in partnership with HSBC, BWF’s Global Development Partner, designed to create opportunities for people of all ages and ability to play badminton on hard, grass and sand surfaces in parks, gardens, streets, playgrounds and beaches around the world.
The project has been five years in the making, starting with a vision to develop a new outdoor shuttlecock with increased durability, stability and wind resistance to allow people to have a more positive experience of badminton outdoors.
BWF President and Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games men’s singles gold medalist Poul-Erik Høyer officiated the launch and said Air Badminton provides a pathway for increased global participation in the sport, while opening up doors for a new, highly attractive form of competitive badminton.
“This is a momentous occasion for badminton. Strategically, Air Badminton will allow to fulfil our overall objective of putting a badminton racket in the hands of as many people as possible,” he said.
“Given that most people’s first experience with badminton comes in an outdoor environment, we are now making it easier for everyone to access the sport through a new outdoor game and new shuttlecock, the Air Shuttle.
“In the future, we see Air Badminton as an exciting, new, energetic version of the sport. Overall, the aim is to inspire more people to play more badminton in more places.”
