Jillian Yap eager for Shuttle Showdown after Carebaco experience

KINGSTON:

At just eight years old, Jamaica's Jillian Yap is already carving out a name for herself in badminton. The reigning All Jamaica Junior Under-11 champion and defending Shuttle Showdown U11 winner is preparing for another big stage, the second staging of the Shuttle Showdown tournament this September.

She is, determined to show her growth after a humbling international debut.

That debut came at the Caribbean Regional Badminton Confederation (Carebaco) Championships, staged from August 15-23 at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium in Wildey, St Michael, Barbados.

It was Yap's first taste of international competition, and while she was unable to secure a win, the tournament offered a sharp contrast to her dominant performances at home.

"For her first tournament it just showed that there is a lot to work on," explained her coach, former national player Katherine Wynter, who now prepares players at the Jamaica Badminton Academy.

"The competition in Jamaica is much easier as there are only about two or three other persons in her age group. Carebaco reminded us of how far she has to go."

The experience underlined just how much harder the road is outside Jamaica's smaller player pool.

"I had a great experience at Carebaco 2025, in Barbados," she said. "This was my first tournament outside of Jamaica and it was very fun. Even though I never won, I learnt how to improve my badminton moves."

At home, Yap has risen to the top of her age group, but in Barbados, she came face-to-face with a deeper and more competitive field, which was an eye-opening lesson for the young champion.

Yap's preparation reflects her growing ambitions. Normally she trains three times per week, but in the buildup to Carebaco she upped the intensity to five sessions, splitting time between the academy and the national team.

"The academy supports her by giving her the best training and sparring opportunities we can offer," Wynter said. "Also, as her coach I try to do a lot of mental training with her, preparing her for different possibilities, scenarios and various types of players. She is young, so she is still getting the hang of not only playing, but also utilising specific tactics and strategies."

Yap's next challenge will be as a defending champion during the second staging of the academy's Shuttle Showdown, which will take place across two weekends, September 20-21 and September 27-28, at the YMCA on Hope Road.

Created as a platform to unearth and elevate local talent, the Shuttle Showdown has quickly become a cornerstone in the development of Jamaican badminton.

Matthew Lee, one of the tournament's founding organisers and a representative of the Jamaica Badminton Academy, explained that Shuttle Showdown was inspired by the need to create a platform that allows local players to showcase their talent.

Yap will compete across three events - singles in the U11 category, doubles in the U13 alongside Hazel Tsang, and mixed doubles in the U11 with Zamani Allen.

It is a full schedule, but one that reflects her drive to improve and expand her game. With the backing of the Jamaica Badminton Academy and guidance from Wynter, Yap enters September as a defending champion ready to test her progress against peers once more.