Badminton players aim to socially please everybody

l CAIRNS

| Isabella

Guzman Gonzalez

SINCE the 1970s, the Cairns Badminton Association has been training local badminton enthusiasts and creating an inviting space for those who are into the game, not the competition.

Cairns Badminton Association president John Spannenburg said the club focused on the game’s social aspect more than the official competitions.

“We don’t have a season; we play all year round; we don’t stop for anything, including Christmas Day,” Mr Spannenburg said.

“We don’t engage in any competitions per se; occasionally, the Townsville Badminton Club may have a competition that some players attend, but we don’t have an official competition ourselves.

“The games are competitive, and people are playing to win, but it’s not about organised competitions; it’s a social club.”

Cairns Badminton holds social games on Tuesday and Friday nights and Sunday mornings at the Cairns Youth and Recreation Centre, with about 40-50 regular players attending.

Members book online on a session-tosession basis of $10 per adult and $7 for U16s.

With each session, Cairns Badminton offers its members free racket loans and shut- tle services; no prerequisites, no age limits, and no experience are needed.

“We’ve got a website where you can go and register so we have your details; that’s part of our COVID protocol, so if someone gets sick, we can let everyone know,” Mr Spannenburg said.

“Anyone can register and make bookings online, and you can come to play.

“Every session, we have someone learning, we have players of every ability, and we certainly get new players who haven’t played before.

“As one of the less cool average players, I take my time if there’s someone new to play at least one game with them and give them some starters and tips and try to lift them up.

“One of our best players started when he was 12 years old, and he’d never picked up a racket; he’s 21 now and one of the best players; it does happen.

“And it’s an all-ages sport; we’ve got players certainly into their 70s, and the youngest player is 10,” he said.

Mr Spannenburg said that although member numbers had been very stable in the last five years, they always required the community’s support to survive.

“We run as a not-for-profit, so we need enough players to cover the hire of the hall; that’s our primary need, to be self-sufficient,” he said.

“We either break even or are close enough, and we adjust our fees to suit.

“Our sessions last three hours on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7.30pm to 10.30pm and two hours on Sundays from 10am to 12pm, and our fees cover as many games as you can play on that time.

“The club supplies shuttles to keep people coming, and we loan rackets, although most players bring their own.

“This year, we want to keep enough people not to lose any money and have a good time.”

Mr Spannenburg encouraged people who enjoy playing sports without the pressure of competition to join Cairns Badminton.

“Badminton is great for fitness,” Mr Spannenburg said.

“They say that racket sports are best for your longevity, and badminton is one of them.

“It gives you exercise without the utter boredom of running down a road, you’re exercising, and you’re genuinely having fun while doing it.

“I used to play squash, but it was so serious and competitive that I had enough.

“We’re not so serious, we’re competitive during the game, but we don’t have any organised competitions, no umpire, just good fun.”

To join Cairns Badminton or book a session, visit www.cairnsbadminton.net l

KEWARRA BEACH

Isabella Guzman Gonzalez

KEWARRA Beach resident Cody Williamson has become Cairns’ most promising triathlon figure after taking his first win at the Busselton 70.3 Ironman in 2022 and qualifying for the 2023 Ironman world championship.

Williamson (right) took first place at the Busselton Ironman in the 18-24 age group and finished 15 overall, immediately qualifying for 2023 70.3 Ironman World Championship in Finland on August 26-27.

Williamson, 24, discovered his passion for triathlon in 2021 and has steadily progressed in the sport.

“I grew up in Cairns, and my mum does the run leg of the Cairns Ironman every year,” he said.

“I’ve always been into fitness and sport, so she said I should give Ironman a crack.

“Around November 2021, I started training for Cairns Ironman 2022, the half distance, and that’s how I came to it.”

Williamson trained himself, but after his first Ironman and wanting to pursue triathlon more seriously, he joined the local triathlon club, TriMotivate, where he received professional training.

At his second Ironman ever at Busselton, Williamson would win first place in the 18-24 age group and take 15th place overall, competing against professional triathletes.

“I love marginally getting better and better each time, and I feel that triathlon is the perfect sport for that; you go day in and day out in three different sports, and you get a little bit fitter every day,” he said.

“For my first Ironman, I was doing as much time swimming, riding and running as much as I could; there was no structure or guidance, just hoping that I was good enough.

“Having TriMotivate’s guidance was crucial not just to get fitter but to improve my technique and form and get better at the sport instead of just getting fitter.”

TriMotivate coach Renee

Kerr said Williamson’s race was extraordinary.

“His race was so exciting to watch,” Ms Kerr said.

“I knew he was likely to get a podium place, but he blew us all away by holding a 4 min – 4.10 pace for 21km after a tough 90km ride and taking the win.

“He finished in under 4 hours 30 minutes, and for a 70.3, that’s an outstanding result for anyone, let alone his second ever 70.3 Ironman.”

Reflecting on his win, Williamson said he could not have predicted his result.

“After I started training with TriMotivate, I started to get noticeably quicker in all disciplines,” he said.

“You can never predict what will happen on race day, and for me, it all pieced together really nicely.

“I had a good swim and a reasonably fast bike ride, and I had enough gas in the tank to bring it home in the run.

“I didn’t know I’d won until I was in the recovery zone and my mum told me; I was surprised because I didn’t go in with any expectations to win it, and to hear it was really exciting.

“That moment really opened my eyes to all the possibilities in this sport if I put my all into it, and since then, this sport has had my total focus.”

After the big win, Williamson is now preparing and counting down the days before his world debut in Finland this August.

He took a break of two to three weeks to physically and mentally recharge.