Earlier this month, Badminton Europe announced that the 2020 European Junior Championships in Lahti, Finland, are going ahead. After today’s draw for the team event, things just got serious.
One of the biggest and most exciting tournaments on the European calendar, the 2020 European Junior Championships, will take place from 29 October – 7 November, with the team event, featuring 17 nations, to be played first from 29 October – 2 November.
The results from the live draw, which took place at Badminton Europe headquarters in Brøndby, Denmark, are as follows:
Group 1 – Denmark, Germany, Finland, Faroe Islands.
Group 2 – Russia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Portugal.
Group 3 – Serbia, Spain, Italy, Lithuania.
Group 4 - France, Ukraine, Slovenia, Estonia, Switzerland.
The top four seeds, Denmark, Russia, Serbia and France, were placed in the groups in the order of their seedings. The teams seeded 5-8 were then drawn, with one team randomly placed in each group. Then the remaining nine teams were randomly assigned groups until every group was full.
Group 1
For Denmark, a traditional badminton powerhouse, it has been a seven-year wait for the team gold. If they come up short again, it will be the longest gap without a win since the golden German generation between 1999 and 2003. This time they hope to bring momentum with their U17 European Team Championships winning team from last year.
In their group, they will face 2011 winners Germany, hosts Finland, and interestingly, the autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, the Faroe Islands, who are making their debut in the event.
Group 2
Second seeds Russia have never won this event, but this year have top seeds in all individual categories apart from men’s singles, so are looking to build on their six-medal haul from the U17 European Championships, as well as the bronze in the team event last year. In their group, they will face the Czech Republic, Sweden and Portugal.
Group 3
Serbia, who secured a silver medal behind Denmark at the U17 European Team Championships, are bringing a strong all-round squad with them. Spain, sensational winners of the team event in 2015, will be wanting to have a big say in who tops the group. Italy and Lithuania complete the quartet.
Group 4
France, although victorious in both 2017 and 2018 find themselves as fourth seeds and in Group 4, the only group with five teams. The big question is will it be a French treble?
The current double European Junior Team Championships gold medallists will be keen to hold onto their crown but must fend off four other teams in their group, including the bronze medallists from the U17 European Team Championships, Ukraine, along with Slovenia, Estonia and their neighbours, Switzerland.
For more information about the tournament, click here.