Tauranga Girls' College had an unforgettable experience at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Badminton Championship, taking one strong team of four: Jimin Lee, Anjali Pillay, Prachi Patel, and Kanokwan Pitakum.

After a 10-hour bus ride from Tauranga to Wellington on Sunday, the girls were ready for action and excitement.

Throughout the pool games on Monday and Tuesday, the team was in top form, fighting through well-spirited and competitive matches to finish top of their pool with no losses against them.

The bond they built with teams from across the country made the experience even more meaningful. Wednesday and Thursday brought some of the toughest and most exciting matches, with the team pushing through fierce competition and battling injuries.

Despite these challenges, they fought hard in every game, ultimately securing a 6th place finishoverall in Div 2—a huge accomplishment in such a competitive field.

The week was an incredible experience both on and off the court, filled with challenges, triumphs, laughter- and most importantly, a lot of fun. A special thanks goes to Ms Tamara Patete, whose unwavering support, helped guide the team through the ups and downs. We couldn’t have asked for a better manager—her encouragement and care made the entire journey a truly amazing time.

Ka pai to the team for an amazing effort!

Article by Anjali Dineo Pillay