Guyana’s badminton representatives at this year’s Commonwealth Games, Narayan and Priyanna Ramdhani, are gearing up to put their best forward next month in Birmingham, England.
Narayan at the moment is training in Canada while Priyanna’s training is being done here in Guyana.
“Priyanna right now is back home training in Guyana very hard with Akili Haynes, Tyrese Jeffrey and Jonathan Mangra as well as under the veteran Marlon Chung who is a member of the GBA and Yonex Badminton Club for many years,” Narayan Ramdhani told Stabroek Sport in an exclusive interview yesterday.
“For myself, I am training every day under Wen Wang, who owns and is the head coach of the active badminton club in Edmonton. He was once top 20 in the world and won multiple international titles. Under him I have learnt a lot and I have been training hard leading up to the games. I also train with my Kings University team under Naeem Haque I have been with him for almost five years and it has been very good,” he added.
The two badminton players who ruled the roost locally before heading off to Canada to further their education, qualified for the Commonwealth Games because of their world rankings.
Narayan is ranked 288 in the world and Priyanna, 388.
“Priyanna and I qualified because of our world ranking. My men’s singles ranking is 288 and Priyanna’s women’s singles ranking is 388. Priyanna and myself mixed doubles ranking is 223 in the world.
“That’s the three events we will be playing men’s singles, women’s singles and mixed doubles,” said Narayan.
The two will be accompanied by Emily Ramdhani, wife of the late former president of the Guyana Badminton Association, Gokarn Ramdhani, who passed away last year. She will perform the duties of manager/coach at the tournament which runs from July 28 to August 8.
“I think my Mom is the right person to accompany us. She has been running the Guyana Badminton Association very well as well as the Yonex Badminton Club in the absence of my dad. She ran off a few tournaments, planned the Badminton Academy and much more as well. She has over 15 years of badminton experience and coaching behind her,” he added.
Narayan, who will be attending his second Commonwealth Games, feels that the sport is heading in the right direction.
“This will be my second Commonwealth Games after my first one in Australia in 2018. This will be Priyanna’s first. Last time we only qualified for one spot and now we have two spots. This shows that badminton is growing in the right direction,” he asserted. Following the Commonwealth Games, Narayan said he will return to Canada to prepare for upcoming tournaments whilst his sister will return to Guyana to push the development of the sport.
“After the games I will head back to Canada to continue training for the university season as well as the South American Games in October and Priyanna will head back to Guyana because she has finished school in Canada and will continue her training as well as help the development of badminton in Guyana,” Narayan ended.
