Three Raphoe stars selected for Irish U-17 badminton team

The future of Irish badminton looks bright as three exceptionally talented young players, Jerald Baiju, Kimberly Pearson, and Rhys McAuley, from the Raphoe badminton club have been selected to represent the Irish U-17 national team.   

Following another remarkable season, these players have demonstrated their prowess on the court, earning well-deserved places in the squad.   

While Pearson and McAuley are no strangers to the international stage, having represented Ireland before, this will mark Baiju’s first cap for his country as they head to Sweden for the upcoming tournament.  

Meanwhile, Kimberly Pearson and Rhys McAuley return to the international stage with a wealth of experience already under their belts from the U-15 level.  

Taking to social media, the Raphoe badminton club said: “This is a massive achievement but only a reward for the dedication these guys put in every week on the training courts.   

“A special thanks must go to all the coaches in the club who give up so much of their time to make this happen. Credit also must go to all the players in the training group who turn up each week and help each other train, it takes teamwork to get results like this.   

“As a club, we are so proud of these three young players. Having three members of the Irish U-17 team, made up of members from Raphoe BC, is a proud moment for everyone. We look forward to following all the progress in Sweden.”