From August 9 to 13, Lima hosted the Para Badminton Training Camp 2026, bringing together athletes and coaches for five days focused on improving consistency, court skills, and decision-making during competition.
The camp welcomed 27 athletes from Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and the United States, along with one athlete from Nigeria. Five coaches from Peru and Mexico also participated, creating an environment for training, learning, and international exchange.
The group included Paris 2024 Paralympic Games medalists Jayci Simon (USA), Vitor Tavares (BRA), and Mariam Eniola (NGR), bringing valuable high-performance experience to the camp.
Building Consistency and Smarter Players
Training sessions were led by experienced coaches Ling Haendel (Japan) and Italo Hauer (Brazil), who worked with athletes from different Para badminton sport classes, adapting exercises to their specific characteristics and needs.
One of the main objectives was to develop greater consistency throughout matches, while strengthening technical and tactical skills. Particular emphasis was also placed on smart decision-making on court, helping athletes recognize different moments of a match, select appropriate strategies, and make better use of opportunities.
For Paralympic medalist Vitor Tavares, training alongside athletes from different backgrounds was one of the highlights of the experience.
“This experience is very good. Having Italo and Ling here sharing their experience with us is really valuable. Training alongside athletes from different sport classes and countries allows us to see how everyone gives their best and incorporate different ideas into our own training based on each other’s experiences.”
Experience That Goes Beyond the Court
The camp also provided an opportunity for athletes at different stages of their careers to share experiences and motivation.
Mariam Eniola highlighted the inspiration she found among the participants:
“I feel very good at this camp. Being here is great because everyone is inspiring. The main message I can share from this experience is that we can achieve anything we set our minds to and are willing to work for.”
For Jayci Simon, the camp also marked an important return following a period away from competition due to injury.
“I’m happy and excited to be here. I wasn’t able to participate last year because of an injury, so I’m very grateful to be at this camp now. Competing at the highest level can be demanding and the pressure is intense, but it is also an honor because not everyone has the opportunity to do it. Now I focus on enjoying the game and my passion for the sport. I know that working hard and enjoying the process will eventually bring the best results.”
Through initiatives such as the Para Badminton Training Camp, Badminton Pan Am continues to create opportunities where high-performance training and shared experiences come together, strengthening athletes and coaches while contributing to the continued development of Para badminton across the Americas.
