Over the weekend, the Badminton Fiji Secondary Schools tournament took place at the Yat Sen School Hall in Suva, attracting more than 100 players from 11 schools. This year’s event featured 16 teams, a significant increase from the previous year’s participation, which included only three schools and five teams.
Tournament director Robert Loo expressed his enthusiasm for the growth of the event, stating that the expansion is a testament to the efforts of the new committee in reaching a broader audience. He remarked, “It’s a major increase for us with our new committee, so with this tournament, we are spreading them to a lot more.”
The participating schools comprised six from Suva—Mahatma Gandhi Memorial High School, Saint Joseph’s Secondary School, Jeremiah Raibevu College, International Secondary School, Marist Brothers High School, Yat Sen Secondary School, and Suva Grammar School. Additionally, there were teams from two schools in the Western Division, Swami Vivekananda College, and two from Vanua Levu, Labasa College and Lekutu Secondary School.
Despite the growing interest, some schools were unable to participate this year due to the upcoming school holidays. In light of this, Loo mentioned plans to move next year’s tournament to an earlier date, aiming for the middle of Term Two. He believes this timing will encourage greater involvement from students, as the third term typically coincides with school breaks. “We want it to be held in the middle of the year when everyone is active,” he stated.
As the excitement from this event settles, anticipation builds for an upcoming national badminton tournament scheduled for later this week, promising to showcase more talent and passion for the sport across the nation.