Amanda Knapp
Badminton is a popular sport worldwide, with an estimated 220 to 339 million people playing it every week. It is a racquet sport that originated in Pune, India, where it was played by British soldiers and called Poona. The sport was later renamed after the country estate of the Duke of Beaufort in Gloucestershire, England. It has been an Olympic sport since 1992, with the shortest recorded match lasting only six minutes. Para badminton, its Paralympic counterpart, debuted at Tokyo 2020, featuring 90 athletes competing across 14 medal events. The rules are mostly the same, with a net height of 1.55m and a best of three games format, each up to 21 points. The shuttlecock, weighing about 5 grams, can reach speeds of up to 300 km/h.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Paralympic debut | Tokyo 2020 |
| Number of athletes | 90 |
| Number of men athletes | 46 |
| Number of women athletes | 44 |
| Number of medal events | 14 |
| Number of sport classes | 6 |
| Number of wheelchair classes | 2 |
| Wheelchair athletes classification | WH 1 and WH 2 |
| Standing athletes with lower impairment classification | SL 3 and SL 4 |
| Standing athletes with upper impairment classification | SU 5 |
| Short stature classification | SH 6 |
| Net height | 1.55m |
| Shuttlecock weight | 4.74-5.55 grams |
| Shuttlecock speed | 300km/h |
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What You'll Learn
Para-badminton debuted at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics
Para-badminton made its Paralympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, which was held from 24 August to 5 September 2021. The debut of the sport at the Paralympics followed the Badminton World Federation's (BWF) governance of the para variant since 2011. Para-badminton is a version of badminton adapted for athletes with a range of physical disabilities.
The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics featured 90 athletes (46 men and 44 women) competing across 14 medal events, including seven male events (six singles, one doubles), six female events (four singles, two doubles), and one mixed doubles event. The athletes were divided into six sport classes (two wheelchair classes and four standing classes) to ensure fair competition. The wheelchair classes consisted of WH 1 and WH 2, while the standing athletes with lower impairments were classified as SL 3 and SL 4. Athletes with upper impairments were classified as SU 5, and those with short stature as SH 6.
The rules of para-badminton were mostly similar to its able-bodied counterpart, with all events following a "'best of three games' format, each played up to 21 points. Rally scoring was used, meaning players could score points regardless of who was serving. To win a game, a player had to be ahead by two points or be the first to reach 30 points. The height of the net was set at 1.55m, the same as in Olympic badminton.
The debut of para-badminton at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics witnessed several memorable moments and highlights. Malaysia's top para-shuttler, Liek Hou Cheah, clinched the sport's first-ever Paralympic gold medal in the men's single SU5 final, defeating his Indonesian rival Dheva Anrimusthi. Indonesia also secured gold in the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 category through Susanto Hary and Leani Ratri Oktila. China's Qu Zimo added to his previous accolades, including two World Championships and two Asian Para Games titles, by claiming two gold medals in the men's singles WH1 and men's doubles WH1-WH2 events.
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Six sport classes ensure fairness in competition
Para-badminton made its Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020, where 90 athletes competed across 14 medal events. To ensure fairness in competition, athletes are placed into six sport classes (two wheelchair classes and four standing classes) in a system called classification. This system ensures that athletes with varying impairments can compete on a level playing field.
The two wheelchair classes are WH 1 and WH 2. The "WH" prefix denotes wheelchair, with the number indicating the level of impairment, where 1 represents a higher level of impairment than 2. Similarly, the standing classes are designated as SL 3, SL 4, SU 5, and SH 6. In the standing classes, "SL" stands for "standing lower," indicating a lower impairment, while "SU" stands for "standing upper," indicating an upper impairment, and "SH" stands for "standing short," referring to short stature.
The net height in para-badminton is standardized across all classes, set at 1.55 meters, the same as in Olympic badminton. This consistency in net height ensures that all athletes, regardless of their classification, face a uniform challenge in their matches.
The shuttlecock, a key component in badminton, is a piece of cork covered in goatskin with 16 goose feathers attached to one end. It can also be made of synthetic materials. The weight of the shuttlecock typically falls between 4.74 and 5.55 grams, making it one of the lightest pieces of sports equipment. The lightweight shuttlecock enables players to achieve impressive speeds, with the shuttlecock reaching up to 300 kilometers per hour during rallies.
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The net height is 1.55m, the same as Olympic badminton
The net is a central gameplay element in badminton, requiring players to return the shuttlecock from one side of the court to the other. The height of the net can impact the game's dynamics, with shots becoming more difficult when the net is high, and one side benefitting when it is low.
The official height of the net in Para badminton is 1.55m at the edges and 1.52m in the centre. This is the same net height used in Olympic badminton. The height is measured from the court's surface to the top of the net.
The net height is important for fair play and performance. A varied net height can throw off players as they are used to hitting the shuttlecock at a specific height during practice. The net height must be regularly checked and modified, especially during official matches, to ensure the fairness and integrity of the competition.
Para badminton made its Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020, alongside taekwondo.
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Shuttlecocks are made from cork, covered in goat skin and feathers
Shuttlecocks, also known as birdies, are an integral part of the sport of badminton. They are small projectiles that players hit back and forth with racquets. The design of the shuttlecock is what gives it its unique, stable flight properties.
A shuttlecock consists of a rounded cork base covered in thin goat skin or leather, with 16 feathers attached to one end. The feathers are usually taken from the wings of a goose or duck, and they can be fixed to a rubber sole or plastic disc. The cork base is made from natural cork or synthetic materials, such as polyurethane. The feathers give the shuttlecock its distinctive look, resembling a rooster's feathers, and its name—the "cock" part of "shuttlecock" comes from this resemblance.
The feathers of a shuttlecock must be properly humidified before play to ensure they fly at the correct speed and distance. This is because dry feathers are brittle and break easily, while saturated feathers become "mushy" and cause the shuttlecock to fly too fast and far. The speed of a shuttlecock can also be affected by the player during the game: pushing the feathers outward creates a wider triangle shape that slows the shuttlecock down, while pushing them inward creates a narrower triangle that increases its speed.
The quality of feathers used in shuttlecocks is important, and the best feathers are considered to come from the left wing of a goose. However, this has been disputed, and it is now believed that as long as the feathers are straight, they can be taken from either wing. Duck feathers have also been used in the past. The cost of good-quality feathers is similar to that of good-quality plastics, but feathers are less durable and need to be replaced more frequently. Serious tournaments and leagues always use feather shuttlecocks of the highest quality, as they are preferred by experienced players.
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The shuttlecock is also known as the 'bird' or 'birdie'
The object that players hit back and forth in a game of badminton is officially called a shuttlecock. However, it also goes by other names, including "bird" and "birdie". The shuttlecock is made of cork covered in goat skin, with 16 goose feathers attached to one end. It can also be made of synthetic materials. The feathers used in its construction are traditionally taken from the left wing of a goose, though this has been proven to be a myth. As long as the feathers are straight, they can be sourced from either wing of the goose, or even from ducks. The shuttlecock is very light, weighing between 4.74 and 5.55 grams.
The name "birdie" is more popular in the USA, where it is used by less serious badminton players. The name "bird" may have come about due to the resemblance of the shuttlecock to a bird, with its feathers splayed out. The shuttlecock is also similar in shape to a bird's egg. The name "birdie" may also be easier for children to say when they are learning to play the game.
The shuttlecock is central to the game of badminton, which is one of the fastest racket sports in the world. The shuttlecock can reach speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour, though some sources state that it can go even faster, exceeding 200 miles per hour. The fastest recorded smash in a competition was by Mads Pieler Kolding of Denmark at the 2017 Badminton Premier League match in Bangalore, India, with a speed of 426 kilometres per hour.
The game of badminton has its origins in ancient Greece, China, and India, where similar games were played over 2,000 years ago. In medieval Europe, children played a game called battledore and shuttlecock, which was later developed in India by British expatriates and called Poona, after the garrison town of the same name.
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Frequently asked questions
Athletes are placed into six sport classes to ensure fairness in competition: two wheelchair classes (WH 1 and WH 2) and four standing classes (SL 3, SL 4, SU 5, and SH 6).
The shuttlecock, also known as a "birdie", can reach speeds of up to 300 km/h or 186 mph.
The rules are similar to the able-bodied version, with a "'best of three' games" format, each played to 21 points. The first side to reach 21 points, with a lead of two points, wins the game.
