By James Sablan
james@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
AS the Oceania Badminton Championships 2026 draws near, the NMI Badminton National Team is leaving nothing to chance, implementing a rigorous new strength and conditioning program designed to fortify the island’s top athletes.
The program, launched last month, serves 15 elite shuttlers, including six players from the U17 division and nine from the open senior division.
The shift toward specialized physical training arose from a realization among the coaching staff that technical skill alone is not enough to keep up with the grueling pace of international play. Twenty-eight-year-old national team coach Ezekiel Macario spearheaded the initiative alongside fellow coaches Nathan Guerrero and Janelle Pangilinan. “The decision was a collaborative effort,” Macario explained. “While we specialize in badminton technical skills and tactics, we recognized that elite-level performance requires specialized physical preparation that was outside our primary expertise.”
To bridge this gap, the team enlisted coach Angel San Nicolas of GetFitCNMI. San Nicolas, a veteran in Olympic weightlifting and youth athletic development, volunteered his time to reshape the athletes’ physical foundations. “We felt he was the right person to help bridge the gap in our physical conditioning,” Macario continued. “We are grateful to Coach Angel and GetFitCNMI for volunteering their time and expertise to support the national team.”
Badminton is often described as an intense and explosive exchange between athletes. To compete with the best in the Oceania region — including powerhouses like Australia and New Zealand — NMI athletes must be more than just fast; they must be resilient. “Strength and conditioning are the foundation of any elite athlete,” Macario noted. “For badminton specifically, it is vital for boosting explosive power, improving agility, and ensuring faster recovery.”
Beyond performance, the coaching staff is prioritizing player health. “It is also about longevity — proper conditioning is our best defense against injuries. By building a stronger physical base, our players can handle the high intensity of international competition more effectively,” said Macario.
Though the program is only a few weeks old, Macario reported noticeable improvements. “We are already seeing our players move with more agility and balance, and their footwork is noticeably quicker. You can also hear the difference in the power of their smashes.”
As the team prepares for the Oceania Badminton Championships in February, there is a renewed sense of confidence within the camp. “We view physical conditioning as a long-term commitment to the athletes’ growth, rather than a short-term fix,” Macario concluded. “Seeing these improvements so early on gives us a lot of confidence as we prepare to head into the championships.”
The national team conducts strength and conditioning sessions with San Nicolas on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, while technical and tactical on-court badminton training is held on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
