While the very top of the badminton elite are competing at the Super 1000 China Open, another major event is taking place this week, the British & Irish Para Badminton International 2025. The tournament, held in Cardiff, Wales, started on Tuesday and runs through Saturday.

The event has attracted a large number of highly talented European para-badminton athletes. The full program and draw can be found here.

Among the competitors is Krysten Coombs, who has been away from the sport since winning his impressive silver medal in men’s singles SH6 at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. In his comeback tournament here in Cardiff, Coombs is not competing in singles but instead playing in mixed doubles with 17-year-old Anya Butterworth, who is making her debut at a Level 1 tournament. So far, the new partnership has won both of their group matches, including an impressive victory over the world No. 4 pair Nagar/Sivan from India. Speaking to Badminton England after the win, Coombs said
“Yesterday was the big one, we beat world number 4, the Indian pair, and it is Anya’s first Level 1 tournament as well. To come up with a win like that was amazing. Hopefully the rest of the week now we can just get better and better.”

Another English player making headlines this week is Daniel Bethell, silver medallist at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. Bethell has dominated this tournament in recent years, winning it three times in a row, and is now aiming for a fourth title. He has made a confident start with a convincing win in his opening match.

Norwegian Helle Sofie Sagøy, who won bronze at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, is also competing in Cardiff. She opened her campaign with a dominant 21-7, 21-3 win. After the match, Sagøy reflected
“It’s great to get a first win. I feel it’s a good start to the tournament. It’s been a tough year leading up to the Paralympics and after too. I have finished my first year of study to be a midwife. Just two more years to go.”

Two French Paralympic gold medallists are also worth highlighting: Charles Noakes and Lucas Mazur. Mazur began his tournament with a victory in his opening group match and will later face German player Marcel Adam, who also won his first match, in a highly anticipated group final.

Charles Noakes also started strong, winning his opening match in a marathon battle lasting nearly an hour against England’s Jack Shephard. Later today, Noakes will play his group final against India’s Sivarajan Solaimalai.

With so many accomplished European athletes competing, the British & Irish Para Badminton International 2025 continues to showcase the growing strength and depth of para-badminton across the continent.