Bermuda’s emerging badminton talent will look to start 2026 on a high as three members of the Junior National team head to Ottawa, Canada, for the Victor Ontario Junior C Tournament on January 3rd and 4th.
The trio of JitHom Liew, Aaron Lee, and Joseph Lau represent a growing pipeline of talent developed under the watchful eye of coaches Emma Moran-Lee and Aaron Simmons. As Bermuda’s top-ranked senior singles players, Moran-Lee and Simmons have spent the last few years transitioning from international competitors to mentors, aiming to test the island’s best against elite North American opposition.
For 13-year-old JitHom Liew, the trip to Carleton University’s Norm Fenn Gym marks his second overseas venture of the season. Following a quarter-final finish in a massive 200-player field in Toronto this past October, the Somersfield Academy student has ramped up his preparation. “I have been doing plyometric exercises for explosiveness and extra running for stamina,” Liew said. “I am hoping to achieve a podium finish in the singles this time around.”
The Under-19 category will see Aaron Lee and Joseph Lau lead the charge. Lee, 16, follows a rich family tradition in the sport—his mother is the island’s top-ranked female player. After reaching the consolation semi-finals in doubles with Lau during their previous trip to Markham, Lee is eager to see how the team’s early morning training sessions against senior national players will pay off.
“The standard is high in Canada, so I am hoping to win some matches and progress as far as possible,” Lee noted, confirming he will compete across singles, boys’ doubles with Lau, and mixed doubles with Canadian partner Sawara Pawar.
Warwick Academy’s Joseph Lau will also test his mettle in the U19 singles and doubles. Coach Moran-Lee believes the increased frequency of training is essential for the boys to maintain their edge. “It’s a great opportunity for them to experience more challenging gameplay as they are at the top of their game here in Bermuda,” she said. “I can’t wait to see them in action.”
