Today marks two years to go until the start of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on the 28 July – and not even a global pandemic has stopped Team England stars working hard to deliver success for the home nation in 2022.
Home of our YONEX All England Open Championships, the 22nd Commonwealth Games will be held in Birmingham, the third time that England has hosted the Games in its history. The Games will bring together 6,500 athletes and officials; cheered on by an inclusive, welcoming and sport-loving city region that is already home to 187 nationalities from around the Commonwealth and the rest of the world.
Team England have today announced their ‘Team England 2020: United, Diverse and Successful’ campaign which highlights how athletes have been training within their hometowns despite the Covid-19 pandemic affecting their normal training and competing routine to ensure they are in the best shape possible to deliver medal success for England in Birmingham. This is very much true for our own players, who after weeks of adapting to their home workouts in lockdown, are now back training at the National Badminton Centre.
Commonwealth Games 2018 Bronze Mixed Team medal winner, Chloe Birch said:
“I’ve always really wanted to compete at a home Games and get that experience. So to have that in Birmingham is amazing, especially for us in badminton, we compete all over the world and it’s not really in this country except one or two competitions a year. Having friends and family there and more or less the whole country willing you on to win a badminton game would just be amazing.”
Adrian Christy, Chief Executive at Badminton England, said,
“The Commonwealth Games is one of my favourite major events in the sporting calendar and Birmingham 2022 will be particularly special for our players. Having the opportunity to perform in front of a home crowd and to shine in front of millions of people watching across the world, is an incredible opportunity that I know they are all looking forward to.
“Birmingham 2022 will also be special for badminton fans. We have a strong affinity with the City, we love the passion that the people of Birmingham have for sport; we have felt it for the last 25 years with the City being the home of our YONEX All England Open Championships.
Two years to go is a huge milestone for British sport. Sports fans across the Commonwealth will be counting down the days as will the players, volunteers and fans who will be so excited to be part of such a fabulous multi-sport Games. I cannot wait either.”
