In January 2017, Holbæk Sports Centre Foundation (Fonden Holbæk Sportsby - FHS) was notified by the Board of Badminton Europe (BEC) that their bid to facilitate Badminton Europe’s new Centre of Excellence was successfully outbidding 10 other applicants. The contract between BEC and FHS is agreed until the end of 2020, which is the year for the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
General Secretary for Badminton Europe, Brian Agerbak states: “Badminton Europe’s Centre of Excellence is the biggest isolated development project in the 50-year history of the confederation. Over time, this project will improve the level of European badminton and we are extremely proud that the Centre of Excellence is finally opening. We are certain that we made the right decision by allocating the Centre of Excellence to Holbæk.”
” We started to work on this project in the end of 2015, and I am happy to experience that so many players from various countries sees the potential in the Centre of Excellence. I can hardly wait to start working with these players and coaches,” Head Coach Jeroen van Dijk shares.
The FHS is working closely with Stenhus Gymnasium regarding this exciting project, as the Centre of Excellence will be based at Stenhus Gymnasium until Holbæk Sports Centre is completed. After the opening of Holbæk Sports Centre, Stenhus Gymnasium will continue to offer its expertise and facilities, including a test center, to the development of the Centre of Excellence
” To house Badminton Europe for the first one and a half year, was an easy decision for us at Stenhus Gymnasium. It is a clear extension of the talent development at our many sports colleges and it builds on our close cooperation with Holbæk Sports Centre and Holbæk Badminton Club”, says Peter Farbøl, Principal at Stenhus Gymnasium.
As many of the European badminton talents will only move to Holbæk and into the Centre of Excellence on 1 September, the grand opening reception will have to wait until 31 October 2017. The press and other interested parties are still welcome to visit the new Stenhus Sports Hall on Friday 1 September, where the very first training will be conducted from 09.00-11.00 AM. It will be possible to talk to both players and the Head Coach Jeroen van Dijk. Furthermore, the day will be used for internal ‘kick-off’ meetings with practical information for the players.
For the next three and a half years, the Centre of Excellence will host around 24 players, that will live near Stenhus Gymnasium and train in the newly build Stenhus Sports Hall until Holbæk Sports Centre is ready by 1 January 2019.
The opening of the Centre of Excellence in Holbæk is giving excellent possibilities for Badminton Europe, Holbæk Badminton Club and Stenhus Gymnasium to work together.
” It is amazing that we were chosen by Badminton Europe’s Board of Directors to host for the Centre of Excellence in Holbæk, even if we were in fierce competition with nine other European cities. This has been possible due to a unique collaboration with Stenhus Gymnasium and Holbæk Badminton Club, including strong support from the Municipality of Holbæk”, says spokesman for FHS, Carsten Damgaard.
We bid everyone welcome in the new Stenhus Sports Hall for the first training on 1 September from 9.00-11.00 AM. And we will return with the final details for the ‘Opening Reception’ on Tuesday 31 October 2017.
The following players, with more to follow, and coaches will be a part of the Centre of Excellence from 1 September 2017:
Male players: Murad Bayramov, Azerbaijan -
Sander De Decker, Belgium -
Zvonimir Đurkinjak, Croatia -
Elias Nicolaou, Cyprus -
Milan Ludík, Czech Republic -
Niks Podosinoviks, Latvia -
Iikka Heino, Finland -
Matthew Abela, Malta -
Duarte Nuno Anjo, Portugal - Matej Hlinican, Slovakia -
Felix Burestedt, Sweden.
Learn more about the project
here.