Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Sport
Anna Harrington

Family affair in Games badminton team

Siblings Angela and Jack Yu will represent Australia in badminton at the Commonwealth Games. (AAP)

Siblings Angela and Jack Yu will attempt to carry on a Commonwealth Games family legacy after being selected in Australia's 10-strong badminton team for Birmingham.

The Yus are the children of He Tian Tang, who claimed bronze for Australia in women's doubles at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, after previously winning Olympic bronze for China in 1996.

Australia hasn't won a badminton medal since, while its gold medal drought stretches back to 1994.

Tang coaches both 17-year-old Jack and 19-year-old Angela, who are set for their first major senior tournament.

"I'm very amazed and excited because my mother represented Australia for the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and she won a bronze medal," Jack Yu told AAP.

"I'm really excited to follow in my parents' footsteps and see where I can go.

"My dad was a player too. He played for the Chinese national team then came to Australia with my mum and he coached the Australian national team.

"I just want to really present myself on the world stage and make my parents proud.

"She (mum) just said 'do your best, go all out. There's not really any pressure for you.'"

Dual Olympian Hsuan-Yu (Wendy) Chen shapes as Australia's best medal prospect at her second Commonwealth Games, while Gronya Somerville is the most experienced, attending her third.

Kaitlyn Ea, Tiffany Ho, Tran Hoang Pham, Nathan Tang, Jacob Schueler and Yingxiang Lin are also making their debuts.

All 10 selected athletes are competing in both team and individual events.

For veteran Nathan Tang, selection for his first Games marks the end of a long road of disappointments after 11 years in the program

"After the call, I just burst into tears to be honest," he told AAP.

"It meant a lot because I've been through three generations of players, so I've seen a lot of my teammates and ex-teammates go to Commonwealth Games and Olympics and retire."

Australia has won 12 Commonwealth Games badminton medals in total, including two gold.

The badminton competition in Birmingham will be held from July 29-August 8.

AUSTRALIA'S BADMINTON TEAM

Hsuan-Yu (Wendy) Chen, Kaitlyn Ea, Tiffany Ho, Gronya Somerville, Angela Yu, Xingxiang Lin, Tran Hoang Pham, Jacob Schueler, Nathan Tang, Jack Yu.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.