Andrew Pace
Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock, or birdie, across a net. The shuttlecock is a feathered or plastic projectile that flies differently from the balls used in many other sports. The speed of a birdie can be determined using Hawk-Eye, a Sony-owned computer vision system that tracks the birdie from multiple angles using several high-performance cameras. The fastest birdie smash was recorded by Tan Boon Heong of Malaysia at 493 km/h (306 mph).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sport | Badminton |
| Object name | Shuttlecock or birdie |
| Object composition | Feathered or plastic |
| Object speed | Fastest moving object in sport |
| Object speed factors | Racket design, racket string tension, body positioning, and atmospheric conditions |
| Game format | Singles or doubles |
| Scoring | Points are scored by striking the shuttlecock and landing it within the boundaries of the other team's half of the court |
| Game end | When the shuttlecock hits the floor or ground, or a fault is called |
| Game level | Casual outdoor activity or professional |
| Game location | Beach, yard, or indoor court |
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What You'll Learn
Badminton is an Olympic sport
Badminton was introduced as a demonstration event at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich and the 1988 Summer Olympics. It officially became a part of the Olympic programme at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, with men's and women's singles and doubles events. The mixed doubles event was introduced at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, bringing the total number of events to six.
Each player or doubles team must win each game by two clear points. However, if the game reaches a score of 29-all, a single sudden-death point is played to determine the winner.
Badminton is a physically demanding sport that requires considerable power and technique. The lightness of the shuttlecock and racquets allows players to utilize their wrists and fingers to generate power from short racquet swings. The drag on the shuttlecock also affects its flight path, requiring players to employ different strategies in singles and doubles matches.
China and Indonesia are the most successful countries in Olympic badminton, having won gold medals in every discipline. Other countries to watch include Denmark, the People's Republic of China, India, Japan, and Malaysia, who have all produced notable badminton players.
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The birdie is also known as a shuttlecock
A shuttlecock is made of a base of light material, such as cork, with trimmed feathers fixed around the top. The feathers are usually from goose or duck wings and are embedded into the cork base. The cork is then covered with thin leather. There are typically 16 feathers in a shuttlecock, each 62 to 70 mm in length, with a diameter of 25 to 28 mm. The circle of feathers has a diameter of around 58 to 68 mm.
Feathered shuttlecocks have different playing characteristics than synthetic ones. They tend to drop straight down on a clear shot, while plastics fall more on a diagonal. The feathers also create drag, which influences the flight path of the shuttlecock. When hit with a high serve, the shuttlecock may fall vertically.
Because of the drag, it requires considerable power to hit a shuttlecock the full length of the court. This is in contrast to most other racquet sports, where the ball can be hit the full length of the court with less force. The lightness of the shuttlecock and badminton racquets also allow players to use their wrists and fingers more than in other racquet sports.
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The birdie is the fastest-moving object in sport
The birdie, also known as a shuttlecock, is the fastest-moving object in sport. It is used in badminton, a racquet sport played using racquets to hit the shuttlecock across a net. The shuttlecock is a feathered or plastic projectile that moves differently from the balls used in many other sports.
The speed of a birdie can be measured using Hawk-Eye, a Sony-owned computer vision system that employs multiple high-performance cameras to track its movement from various angles. This technology is used in several sports, including cricket, tennis, soccer, rugby, and volleyball.
The speed of a birdie is influenced by various factors, including weight, altitude, temperature, humidity, design, racket string tension, and body positioning. For example, a birdie will travel faster at higher altitudes due to lower air density compared to sea level, and it will also move faster in warmer temperatures as higher temperatures reduce air density.
The design of the birdie and racket also play a role in its speed. A lower tension string in the racket creates a larger sweet spot area, resulting in more elasticity in the swing and increased distance and speed for the birdie. Additionally, the unique flight characteristics of the birdie, which include considerable drag, also contribute to its speed.
The fastest recorded smash of a birdie was achieved by Tan Boon Heong of Malaysia, who reached a speed of 493 km/h (306 mph) while testing new racket technology. This speed far surpasses that of other projectiles in sports, such as a golf ball, baseball, hockey puck, or tennis ball.
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Different birdie speeds are chosen based on playing conditions
The sport that uses a birdie, also known as a shuttlecock, is badminton. Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. The shuttlecock is a feathered or plastic projectile that has distinct flight characteristics compared to the balls used in other sports.
The speed of a birdie is influenced by various factors, including the design of the birdie, racket design, racket string tension, body positioning, and atmospheric conditions. Different birdie speeds are chosen based on playing conditions to optimize performance. Here are some factors that affect the choice of birdie speed:
Altitude: Playing at higher altitudes results in faster birdie speeds due to lower air density compared to sea level.
Temperature: Warmer temperatures cause birdies to travel faster because higher temperatures lead to reduced air density.
Humidity: As badminton is typically played indoors, increased humidity can slow down the birdie's speed.
Stroke Force and Angle: The force and angle at which a birdie is struck influence its speed and trajectory. Jump-smash, smash, clear, and drop strokes result in different birdie speeds, with jump-smash being the fastest and drop being the slowest.
Racket Design and Technique: The design of the racket and the player's technique can impact the birdie's speed. Rackets are designed to be thin, light, and made from materials such as graphite, carbon fiber, aluminum, or titanium. The racket's deformation during a stroke can also impart additional velocity to the birdie.
Birdie Design: The design of the birdie itself plays a crucial role in its speed. Professional players prefer feathered birdies as they can be hit at higher speeds, reducing the opponent's reaction time. Plastic birdies are also available, but they may not achieve the same high speeds.
By considering these factors, players and coaches can select the appropriate birdie speed for the given playing conditions, optimizing their performance and strategy during a badminton match.
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Badminton can be played casually or professionally
Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock—also known as a birdie—across a net. The sport can be played casually or professionally, and it is one of the most popular sports in the world. While it is especially popular in Asia, it also attracts great interest in Europe, with players from Denmark regularly challenging for top honours.
The most common forms of the game are singles (with one player per side) and doubles (with two players per side). Badminton is often played casually outdoors in a yard or on a beach. Professional games, on the other hand, are played on a rectangular indoor court. Points are scored by striking the shuttlecock with the racquet and landing it within the other team's half of the court, within the set boundaries. Each side may only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net.
The shuttlecock is a feathered or plastic projectile that flies differently from the balls used in many other sports. The feathers create higher drag, causing the shuttlecock to decelerate more rapidly. This makes badminton the fastest racquet sport in the world in terms of shuttlecock speed. The lightness of the shuttlecock and badminton racquets also allows players to make greater use of their wrists and fingers compared to other racquet sports.
Badminton can also be played with larger teams. For example, at the Olympic Games, there are five disciplines: men's doubles and singles, women's doubles and singles, and mixed doubles.
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Frequently asked questions
Badminton uses a birdie, also known as a shuttlecock.
A birdie is made from cork or synthetic materials and has a skirt, usually made from nylon.
The fastest recorded smash of a birdie was by Tan Boon Heong of Malaysia, who hit a smash measured at 493 km/h (306 mph).
When defending against a smash, players can choose to lift, block, or drive.
