SPORTS
European Mixed Team 2009
during the summer months and play in outdoor areas such as gardens and parks – wind permitting!! The Badminton Community has played a big part in encouraging more and more people to engage in this sport; badminton is a very social sport and club nights and matches alike always include the opportunities to meet new people and catch up with old friends. Many clubs have hectic social calendars with club fun nights, fund raisers and Christmas parties.
Badminton is an Olympic Sport played first in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. In the Sydney Olympics 2000, Ireland had their first ever Badminton Olympian Sonya McGinn from Howth, Dublin. More than 1.1 billion people watched the 1992 Olympic Badminton competition on television. In 2008 Ireland had 2 Olympian bad-
minton players, Scott Evans in men’s singles and Chloe Magee in the ladies singles. These Olympians have heralded a new era in Irish badminton and have become role models for thousands of players around the country who have seen their dedication, determination and fighting Irish spirit on national television for all to witness. Chloe also managed to win her first round and beat a player ranked 20 places higher in the world rankings. Both players are now professional athletes and partly funded by the Irish Sports Council athlete carding scheme, which has enabled them to be full-time players. All in all, Badminton is on the up and that’s a fact! Badminton offers so much at a relatively cheap price tag, it would be a crime not to try it out even once! More information can be found at www.badminton.ie
The Shuttle An ordinary badminton shuttle (also called a shuttlecock or bird) contains 14 to 16 feathers from geese, ducks, and even chickens in some parts of the world but also could be made of plastic. The shuttle is about 6,4cm (2-and-a-half inches) tall and weighs 73-85 grains (4.745.50 grams). It is one of the fastest objects in sport, easily travelling at 180 km/h (112 mph). It has been clocked at an amazing 289 km/h (180 mph), making it second fastest only to Jai-Alai, a sport that originated in the Basque country. In 1979, Guinness World Records recorded a player throwing the Jai-Alai pelota at 302,5 km/h (188 mph). Speed comparisons: Jai-Alai 302,5 km/h Badminton 289 km/h Squash 241 km/h Tennis 228 km/h Table tennis 178 km/h
Life and Fitness Magazine - March 2009 - 23