Australia and Olympic Badminton

Anna Lao and Rhonda Cator were Australia’s first badminton representatives when the sport debuted in Barcelona in 1992. Lao made it through to the quarter-finals in the women’s singles and with Cator finished in the same position in the women’s doubles.

In total 23 Australians have represented at the Games with Cator having contested three.

Olympic History

Badminton became an Olympic sport in Barcelona in 1992, after being a demonstration sport in Munich in 1972. Initially men’s and women’s singles and doubles were introduced. In Atlanta in 1996, a mixed doubles event was included – this is the only mixed doubles event in all of the Olympic sports. Of the nineteen gold medals awarded for badminton, China has won eight, Indonesia and Korea five each and Denmark one.

Gold Medal Winners from the Past Three Olympic Games

Men - Singles
Atlanta 1996 - Poul-Erik HOYER-LARSEN (NED)
Sydney 2000 - JI Xiinpeng (CHN)
Athens 2004 - Taufik HIDAYAT (INA)

Men - Doubles
Atlanta 1996 - MAINAKY / SUBAGJA (INA)
Sydney 2000 - WIJAYA / GUNAWEN (INA)
Athens 2004 - HA / KIM (KOR)

Women - Singles
Atlanta 1996 - Bang SOO-HYUN (KOR)
Sydney 2000 - GONG Zhichao (CHN)
Athens 2004 - ZHANG Ning (CHN)

Women - Doubles
Atlanta 1996 - GE / GU (CHN)
Sydney 2000 - GE / GU (CHN)
Athens 2004 - YANG / ZHANG (CHN)

Mixed Doubles
Atlanta 1996 - YOUNG-AH / DONG-MOON (KOR)
Sydney 2000 - ZHANG / GAO (CHN)
Athens 2004 - ZHANG / GAO (CHN)