You don’t have to be a member of the Badminton World Federation to know that the Sudirman Cup is right around the corner, and the teams are in it to win it. Held May 19th-26th in Nanning, China, badminton fans from across the globe will be making their way to one of the most exciting international sporting events of the year.
For those who don’t know, the Sudirman Cup is a competition for mixed team badminton that is held every two years. There are five matches in every round, and this includes men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, as well as mixed doubles. Named after Dick Sudirman, an Indonesian badminton player and founder of the Badminton Association of Indonesia, the first Cup was held in Jakarta in 1989.
Nanning, China
It was announced on March 18th that the beautiful Chinese city of Nanning would be the host of this year’s event, the BWF Sudirman Cup. Nanjing, a totally different city, will be hosting the BWF World Championships. Six bid presentations came before BWF Council Members, and Nanning was selected because it has never hosted a major event in the past, and it has much to offer to tourists.
Sudirman Cup Trophy
The Sudirman Cup trophy is renowned for being an exceptional piece of workmanship.
Bringing together the culture of Indonesia and the amazing sport of badminton, the Cup stands as a symbol of victory, strength, sportsmanship, and cultural heritage. It was created in honor of Dick Sudirman, and the trophy is made of 22-carat gold-plated silver. It stands a massive 80cm high on an octagonal base and is modeled after the Indonesian temple known as Borobudur. Masterix Bandung Company is the manufacture of the Cup, and it’s said to cost around $15,000.
There were only 28 participating teams when the Sudirman Cup was played at Bung Karno Stadium in Indonesian, 1989. The event proved to be so popular amongst fans, that today it is a competition that people will travel across the world to see. During that inaugural event, Indonesia took the cup, but they haven’t been able to take it since. The next two events, Korea proved to be victorious, and then China, who literally won every competition between 1995-2015.
Who Will Win
Although China was favored again in 2017, they lost the title to Korea in an intense final in Gold Coast. So, who’s expected to win in 2019? That’s a very good question! But the favorites include China, Korea, and Japan.
So, now that you know all about the Sudirman Cup, let’s explore badminton a little. Did you know that smashes can reach speeds of more than 200 miles per hour? It’s true, and that is because badminton is one of the fastest racquet sports in the world. For this reason, the Cup will attract more than 1,500 participants and a global television audience of over 400 million.
Fun Badminton Facts
Badminton is played with a racket and a shuttle, or shuttlecock. There are two opposing players or teams of two on a court divided by a net. The sport originated in British India in the 1800s, and the International Badminton Federation was formed in 1934. In Europe, Denmark dominates the sport, whereas worldwide, both Asian men and women are top competitors.
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- It is the fastest racquet sport in the world
- Badminton requires endurance, strength, agility, and power.
- 16 feathers are used to make the shuttlecock.
- The Bath Badminton Club was the first official club, founded in 1877.
- Badminton was introduced to the United States in the 1930s.
- Shuttlecock and Battledore were the original names for the sport.
- Badminton is the second most popular sport in the world. The first most popular is soccer.
Now that you know a bit more about Badminton, and the Sudirman Cup of 2019, it’s time to book your tickets to Nanning to enjoy all the excitement! Whether you’re new to badminton, or a seasoned professional, you’re going to find the atmosphere to be infectious.
