The BEC Para Badminton Event will commence tomorrow. Meet our very own Badminton Europe Development & High Performance Manager, Tania Teoh, who will be sharing her substantial knowledge and experience at the event.
After moving from Malaysia and studying for a Master of Advanced Studies in Sport Administration and Technology at the prestigious École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, she worked for BWF and the International Olympic Committee.
Making the moving to Copenhagen, Denmark, Tania Teoh began working at Badminton Europe in 2015, managing the development department which consists of Sport for All, Para badminton, Women in Badminton and assisting our Member Associations in developing badminton in their countries.
Tania Teoh has been a pivotal part of the launch of the BEC Para Badminton Event and its subsequent journey thereafter, as she explains.
-The first-ever BEC Para Badminton Event took place in 2015 in Veenendaal, Netherlands. In fact, it was my first ever official event as a BEC staff. Fast forward to 2020, delivering the course in Caldas da Rainha tomorrow will be my sixth consecutive year and it is with great pleasure to see how the event has evolved, how our Member Associations are gradually integrating and developing Para badminton in their countries.
The aim is the same
The core values and goals for the event that were set out five years ago remain at its heart today. They are becoming more important and recognised across Europe year and year, as Tania Teoh states.
-The aim of this Para badminton event has always been the same, to provide know how´s in Para badminton integration, exchange of information among Experts, participants, and the host in dealing with all the aspects around Para badminton.
With a parting remark before tomorrow’s big day, Tania Teoh says.
-I look forward to meeting all the participants tomorrow and spend a fruitful weekend discussing everything Para badminton.
As we all know, Para badminton will feature for the first time at the Paralympics in Tokyo 2020, which is very exciting for the players, coaches and fans. Diogo Silva, a Portuguese coach, will be involved in the Administrators Course over the weekend, sharing the great progress Portugal are making in Para badminton. Asked to comment on this big milestone he is working towards, he says.
- The Portuguese players just joined Para badminton in 2018, so it is great for us to join and then immediately have the chance to fight for a place at Tokyo 2020. It is a big motivation for everyone.