27 May 2022

Badminton player named for his fourth Commonwealth Games

10:19 am on 27 May 2022

Two badminton players have been selected to represent New Zealand at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in July.

New Zealand's Oliver Leydon-Davis at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Oliver Leydon-Davis Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Oliver Leydon-Davis will attend his fourth games and will team up with debutant Anona Pak in the mixed doubles.

The duo are New Zealand's number one mixed doubles pairing, having been competing together domestically and internationally for three years.

They secured their Commonwealth Games spots following a successful return to international competition in 2022, with results including a second placing in the recent Oceania Championships.

"It's crazy to be going to my fourth Games," said 32 year old Leydon-Davis.

"It's a real privilege to still be going and I'm really looking forward to getting to Birmingham and pulling on the fern again."

The Hamilton local says he and Pak were unable to compete internationally for much of 2020 and 2021, so instead trained relentlessly in Auckland.

"Anona and I have been getting better and better and just building up our skills and teamwork. We're feeling good and are really excited to show what we're capable of in Birmingham"

For Pak, Birmingham 2022 will be her debut Commonwealth Games. The 28-year-old has been playing badminton since she was a child and says she's always dreamed of going to the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.

"I feel really proud to be wearing the fern and it's a privilege to be part of the team and to get to represent New Zealand alongside all the other sports and athletes," said Pak.

"As a kid my mum made me try out a whole heap of sports. I did swimming, table tennis, squash but badminton was the one that stuck. You have to really use your brain and there's so much strategy and skill that's involved, I really love it."

Outside of sport Pak speaks five languages and has a degree in medical lab science.

The pair are coached by Olympian Rikke Olsen Siegemund who has won four Badminton World Cup medals. The trio will head to Asia for several international tournaments before finishing their Commonwealth Games build-up in Europe.

The naming takes the total number of athletes currently selected to the New Zealand Team for Birmingham 2022 to 65.