It's been a busy year for Badminton Europe, and while the Paris 2024 Olympics might have dominated the global sports headlines for quite some time of the year, our continent has been a hive of badminton activity.
From the European Circuits with events in different corners of the continent to the six major events hosted by Badminton Europe, there's been no shortage of action. We’ll do a quick review of our major events in 2024, where age proved just a number and passion drove our European athletes to huge achievements.
2024 European Men’s & Women’s Team Championships - Łódź, Poland (14-18 Feb)
This year kicked off with the European Men’s & Women’s Team Championships in Łódź. The men’s event saw Denmark continue their unbeaten streak, clinching their ninth consecutive title, with France as runners-up, and Germany and England taking home the bronze.
The women’s competition mirrored this dominance, with Denmark securing their eighth title, Spain finishing second, and France and Scotland earning bronze. The finals were intensely competitive, especially the men’s showdown between Denmark and France and the women’s clash between Denmark and Spain.
European Championships - Saarbrücken, Germany (8-14 Apr)
At the 30th European Championships, Carolina Marin dominated to win her seventh consecutive title, solidifying her iconic career as part of Europe's badminton elite. The event was marked by thrilling clashes, including an all-Danish men's doubles final where Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen defeated Andreas Søndergaard/Jesper Toft.
French pairs shined, with Margot Lambert/Anne Tran overturning past defeats to claim gold. Anders Antonsen won against Toma Junior Popov, capturing the European crown for a second time after quite some intense matches.
2024 European Senior Championships - Heusden-Zolder, Belgium (25-31 Aug)
After a summer break and the Olympic buzz, we returned to a record-setting European Senior Championships in Heusden-Zolder. This event set a new standard as the largest senior badminton tournament ever, even surpassing the World Seniors, with an impressive 1,569 athletes from across Europe competing. Participants ranged from 35 to over 80 years old, showcasing the timeless attractiveness of badminton.
2024 European U15 Championships - Suwałki, Poland (11-14 Sep)
The European U15 Championships brought together young talent from 34 different member countries. The semifinals saw representation from 13 countries, illustrating the growing diversity across European badminton. France emerged as the top nation, securing three out of five titles.
2024 European Junior Championships - Ibiza, Spain (26 November - 1 Dec)
At the European Junior Championships, the team event once again highlighted the strengths of France and Denmark, with Denmark clinching the title and France as the runner-up. The battle to the podium was fierce, reflecting the depth of talent in European junior badminton.
The individual medals were spread across a variety of countries, with France and Denmark each taking four, but seven other countries also claimed their share, further highlighting the widespread talent across Europe.
2025 European Mixed Team Championships Qualifications (5-8 Dec)
The year concluded with the qualifications for the 2025 European Mixed Team Championships, spread across five locations with 26 teams vying for a spot. Denmark and Azerbaijan automatically qualified, while teams from Czechia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, and Spain successfully battled through. The main event is set to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 12 to 16 February 2025, promising to start the new year with top-tier badminton action.
As we close the chapter on 2024, the accomplishments and memories from Badminton Europe's major events not only celebrate our current athletes but also set the stage for future generations. We look forward to another exciting year of badminton in 2025, starting with the European Mixed Team Championships in Baku!