THE stage is set for the VICTOR Oceania Junior Championships 2025, and anticipation is building as the official matchups for the Mixed Team Championships have been released with the home crowd favorites NMI U19 Junior National Team battling the Cook Islands in one of the three opening games pairings this Sunday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
The NMI-Cook Islands on Day 1 of the Mixed Team Championships is scheduled at 10am. Suiting up for the home squad are Marlon Bautista, Minul Hoque, Jude Mallari, Nolan Nate, Dave Odicta, and Evan Seguritan for the men’s side and Charmaine Bautista, Genelyn Lansangan, Nichole Llaga, Shaina Malonzo, and Lina Tsukagoshi for the women’s field. Cook Islands on the other hand, will be represented by (men’s) Kaiyin Mataio, Edward Patai, and Makea Pauka, and (women) Tereapoo Akavi, Arihoia Sprague-Marsters, Lana Toa, and Te Pa O Re Rangi Tupa.
The NMI and Cook Islands’ top U19 players will compete in men’s and women’s singles and doubles play and in mixed doubles. Other pairings in first set of opening matches of the round-robin tournament are Australia vs Fiji and New Zealand against Tahiti. In the 2pm games also this Sunday, Guam will debut against Fiji, while New Zealand will have its second match versus the Cook Islands. In the last set of games in the opener at 6pm, the NMI will meet Fiji, while Australia will take on the Cook Islands, and Guam will challenge Tahiti.
The NMI is seeded third in the team event behind top seed Australia and New Zealand. Cook Islands is at No. 5, but despite their higher seeding, NMI coach Nate Guerrero said they are not taking the former or any other team lightly.
“The players’ mentality is to go and push themselves hard regardless which team they face. The moment you underestimate your opponents, that’s the beginning of your downfall. Our players know that so their approach for every game is to be consistent, show the skills they’ve been working hard on for months, and support each other,” said Guerrero, who is managing the home team with fellow NMI senior player Janelle Pangilinan and Ezekiel Macario.
For full Mixed Team draw and live updates, check https://bwfbadminton.com/tournament/5240/victor-oceania-junior-team-championships-2025/results/.
For player profiles and live updates, visit www.oceaniabadminton.org or follow @BadmintonOceania on social media.
