The Sands China Ltd. Macau Open Badminton 2024 tournament will be held at Macao East Asia Games Dome in Cotai from September 24 to 29, with athletes from 30 countries and regions set to compete.
The upcoming six-day tournament, which marks its return after the COVID-19 pandemic and is an event of the HSBC BWF (Badminton World Federation) World Tour Super 300, has received 375 applications from players from different parts of the world, among whom 259 are qualified to compete, according to details announced during yesterday’s press conference at The Londoner Macao in Cotai.
The tournament has prize money totalling US$210,000 (1.68 million patacas) and comprises Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles events.
Sands China is the first integrated resort (IR) operator to co-organise the Macau Open. Addressing yesterday’s press conference, Sands China Ltd. Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Grant Chum Kwan Lock remarked that the tournament will feature top players such as Zheng Shuxian, ranked 5th globally in women’s doubles, and Paris Olympics gold medallist in the men’s doubles Wang Chilin.
“A record-breaking number of athletes from 30 countries and regions have signed up to compete for the prestigious titles and we eagerly anticipate the convergence of skilled athletes in Macau”, Chum added.
This also marks the 15th year for the Badminton Federation of Macau to host the Macau Open. Federation President Kong Tat Choi noted:” We hope to attract top badminton players and supporters from all over the world to learn more about Macau culture by hosting international high-level competitions and to further promote Macau’s tourism industry, local fitness and diversified development”.
Competitors will come from places such as the mainland, Canada, England, Hong Kong, India, Japan and Malaysia, while there will also be five athletes from Macau.
The player line-up includes girls’ singles world junior champion Tomoka Miyazaki from Japan; Hong Kong-born Canadian badminton player Michelle Li Man-shan, who won both the Macau Open 2018 and 2019. Moreover, among the competing local athletes is Vong Kok Weng, who told reporters of his excitement to compete at the Macau Open again, aiming to do his best.
Tickets for the event, priced at 400 patacas for the semifinals and finals and 150 patacas for other dates, are on sale from today, with details available on the Macau Ticketing Network. Tournament information can also be found on www.macauopenbadminton.org.mo
The semifinals and finals will also be livestreamed on the “BWF TV” YouTube channel.
Badminton Federation of Macau Secretary General Carolina Vong Ka Ieng (from left to right); Badminton Federation of Macau President Kong Tat Choi; BWF events director of tournament operations Selvaamresh Supramaniam; Sports Bureau (ID) Acting Vice President Lei Si Leng; Sands China Ltd. Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Grant Chum Kwan Lock; and Felet International Holdings General Manager Nick Teo, address yesterday’s press conference at The Londoner Macao. – Photo: Rui Pastorin
