Zambia national badminton team

The Zambia national badminton team represents Zambia in international badminton team competitions.[1] The team is controlled by the Zambia Badminton Association.

Zambia
AssociationZambia Badminton Association
ConfederationBadminton Confederation of Africa
PresidentKingsley Mulenga
BWF ranking
Current ranking62 Decrease 1 (4 April 2023)
Highest ranking49 (6 July 2017)
African Mixed Team Championships
Appearances7 (first in 1982)
Best resultRunners-up (1982)
African Men's Team Championships
Appearances6 (first in 1982)
Best resultRunners-up (1982)
African Women's Team Championships
Appearances1 (first in 1982)
Best resultFourth place (1982)

The Zambian team won two runner-up places in the 1982 African Badminton Championships. Their most recent achievement was in 2017 African Badminton Championships where the mixed team got into the semifinals for bronze. The team participated in the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Zambia made its badminton debut in the Olympics when Eli Mambwe participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics men singles event in Beijing, China.

History

British soldiers introduced badminton to Zambia in the 1940s, when the nation was still a British protectorate. In 1947, the Northern Rhodesia Badminton Association was formed and became part of the International Badminton Federation in 1948.[2]

After Zambia's independence in 1964, the national team became part of the Badminton Confederation of Africa in the 1970s. At the time, the national team hosted its first national championships.[2]

Men's team

The Zambian men's team first competed internationally in the 1982 African Badminton Championships men's team event and finished as runners-up. In 1984, the men's team took part in qualifying for the 1984 Thomas Cup but failed as the team lost 5–0 to Denmark and Ireland in the group stages. In the qualifiers for the 1986 Thomas Cup, Zambia lost all their matches against Sweden, Austria, Iceland and France.[3]

The Zambian team had better results in the 1998 Thomas Cup qualifiers. Although the team lost all their matches to Portugal and Italy, they were able to win a match against Kazakhstan and prevailed against the Georgian team after winning 4–1 in the final match.[3]

The men's team then competed in the 2006 Thomas & Uber Cups Preliminaries for Africa which serves as qualification for the Thomas Cup. The men's team reached the semi-finals but lost to South Africa.[4]

In 2022, the men's team competed in the 2022 All Africa Men's and Team Badminton Championships. The team beat Zimbabwe to finish second in Group A and advanced to the quarter-finals.[5] They then lost 3–1 against South Africa at the quarter-final stage.[6]

Women's team

The Zambian women's team finished in fourth place at the 1982 African Badminton Championships women's team event. The team tried to qualify for the 1986 Uber Cup but lost all their matches in their group.[7]

Mixed team

The Zambian mixed team first competed in the 1982 African Badminton Championships. The team finished as runners-up after losing to Nigeria in the final.

Zambia then competed in the 2017 African Badminton Championships. The Zambian team finished as group runner-up and advanced to the semi-finals for a guaranteed bronze medal.[8] The team lost 3–0 to rivals South Africa in the semi-finals.[9] In 2018, the Zambian team debuted in the Commonwealth Games mixed team event.[10] The team finished on the bottom of their group after losing to Mauritius, Jamaica and Singapore.

In 2022, the team made their second appearance at the Commonwealth Games.[11] The team lost 5–0 to Malaysia.[12] The Mulenga brothers have been saviors for the Zambian team as they were able to win a match against Jarred Elliott and Robert Summers of South Africa.[13] Zambia ended their 2022 Commonwealth Games campaign after losing 4–1 against Jamaica.

Competitive record

Commonwealth Games
See also: Badminton at the Commonwealth Games

Mixed team
Year Result
2018 Group stage
2022 Group stage

African Games
See also: Badminton at the African Games

Mixed team
Year Result
2019 Quarter-finalist

African Team Championships

Summer Universiade
See also: Badminton at the Summer Universiade

Mixed team
Year Result
2007 Group stage

Junior competitive record

Mixed team
Year Result
1982 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2007 Group stage
2009 Group stage
2022 Group stage

Staff

The following list shows the coaching staff for the national badminton team of Zambia.

Name Role
Zambia Mulenga Kingstin Coach

Players

Men's team
Name DoB/Age Ranking of event
MS MD XD
Chongo Mulenga (1998-08-19)19 August 1998 (aged 24) 837 302 1003
Kalombo Mulenga (2001-12-29)29 December 2001 (aged 21) 204 302 352
Timothy Kafunda (1996-01-04)4 January 1996 (aged 27) 418 179 643
Mark Banda (1994-07-10)10 July 1994 (aged 28) 973 622 621
Mwanza Edward (2004-02-10)10 February 2004 (aged 19) 394 179 1044
Mwansa Rodrick (1999-07-07)7 July 1999 (aged 23) 744 - -

Women's team
Name DoB/Age Ranking of event
WS WD XD
Elizaberth Chipeleme (1992-08-04)4 August 1992 (aged 30) 448 702 352
Evelyn Siamupangila (1997-01-26)26 January 1997 (aged 26) 390 526 655
Ogar Siamupangila (1988-09-01)1 September 1988 (aged 34) 549 526 621
Matildah Kalandanya (2003-10-12)12 October 2003 (aged 19) 497 715 643
Ngandwe Miyambo (1983-09-29)29 September 1983 (aged 39) - - -
Martha Mkandawire (2004-01-10)10 January 2004 (aged 19) 824 715 1044

Commonwealth Games

African Games

African Team Championships

References
  1. "BWF - TOTAL BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2020 (Postponed) - Organization".
  2. "Zambia - Badminton Africa". Africa Badminton. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  3. "Archiv Thomas Cup". Mike's Badminton Populorum. Archived from the original on 30 March 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  4. "Maurice-Afrique du Sud : l?ultime étape". www.lexpress.mu (in French). L'Express. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  5. "BWF - All Africa Men's & Women's Team Championships 2022 - Zambia - Zimbabwe: 5-0". bwf.tournamentsoftware.com. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  6. "BWF - All Africa Men's & Women's Team Championships 2022 - South Africa - Zambia: 3-1". bwf.tournamentsoftware.com. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  7. "Uber Cup Results". World Badminton. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  8. "BWF - All Africa Mixed Team Championships 2017 - General". bwf.tournamentsoftware.com. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  9. "BWF - All Africa Mixed Team Championships 2017 - Team matches". bwf.tournamentsoftware.com. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  10. "Draw made for Gold Coast 2018 mixed team badminton competition". www.insidethegames.biz. 2018-02-06. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  11. "African badminton medallists among Zambia squad for Birmingham 2022". www.insidethegames.biz. 2022-07-17. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  12. "Commonwealth Games: Flying start for Malaysia's badminton squad". www.thesundaily.my. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  13. "Badminton - Mixed Team results". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
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