Badminton Victoria is proud to celebrate two exciting High Performance achievements, with several Victorian athletes earning selection to the latest Junior Falcons and the Australian team for the 2026 BWF World Junior Championships.

2026 Junior Falcons Selections

Three Victorian athletes have been selected to the latest national Junior Falcons squad following their strong performances at the national level.

The selected athletes are:

• Yee Bo Leow – Ming Badminton Academy | U15 Boys Singles National Champion
• Nicholas Ung – Rise Badminton Academy | U19 Men’s Doubles National Champion
• Wayne Xuan – Ming Badminton Academy | U19 Men’s Singles Finalist

Their selections recognise their continued development and performances at the national level, providing an important opportunity to train and compete alongside some of Australia’s leading junior athletes.

2026 BWF World Junior Championships

Victorian representation will also feature strongly on the international stage, with four Victorian athletes selected to represent Australia at the 2026 BWF World Junior Championships.

The selected athletes are:

Women’s Team

• Smrithi Adepu – EBA

Men’s Team

• Om Neelam – Rise Badminton Academy
• Chen Qiu – ASCOR Performance Pathway
• Wayne Xuan – Ming Badminton Academy

The World Junior Championships represent one of the biggest opportunities in junior badminton, bringing together the best young athletes from around the world.

These selections highlight the strength and depth of Victoria’s High Performance pathway, with athletes progressing from state-level development through to national squad opportunities and international representation.

Badminton Victoria congratulates all seven athletes on these fantastic achievements and recognises the coaches, academies, clubs, families and support networks that continue to contribute to their development.

We are incredibly proud of our Victorian athletes and wish them all the very best as they take the next step in their badminton journeys.