Last year, the CNMI hosted for the first time two badminton Olympic qualifiers—the Crowne Plaza Northern Marianas Open 2023 and the TakeCare Saipan International 2023.Two more international badminton tournaments brought athletes from all over the world to the CNMI—the Crowne Plaza Northern Marianas Open 2024 and the Dove Saipan International 2024 last July.The two-week qualifiers […]
Last year, the CNMI hosted for the first time two badminton Olympic qualifiers—the Crowne Plaza Northern Marianas Open 2023 and the TakeCare Saipan International 2023.Two more international badminton tournaments brought athletes from all over the world to the CNMI—the Crowne Plaza Northern Marianas Open 2024 and the Dove Saipan International 2024 last July.The two-week qualifiers welcomed more than 200 players, coaches, and officials from 19 different countries, and according to Badminton Oceania president Loke Poh Wong, the Northern Marianas Badminton Association has put the CNMI on the world map for badminton.
Nate Guerrero, who is a CNMI athlete/coach, said that the international tourneys on island are beneficial to the youth and up-and-coming badminton athletes because they get to be exposed to different skill levels and experience a different level of play than what they are used to on just the local scale. “It’s a really great experience and opportunity,” he said.The Badminton World Federation Grade 3 International Challenge tournament featured athletes from 16 different countries at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
