Team Chinese Taipei wins Mixed Team Title at the 2026 AUC Badminton

The 2026 AUC Badminton enters its second day. Beyond the individual matches, the championship includes a mixed team competition. The semifinals and final for the mixed team competition took place today at the Taipei Gymnasium. During the round-robin stage, host Team Chinese Taipei defeated Republic of Korea, Japan, and Saudi Arabia with clean 3-0 victories. They kept their momentum going into the knockout rounds, defeating Malaysia 2-0 in the semifinals. In the final, Team Chinese Taipei faced Republic of Korea once again, getting another 2-0 victory to win first place in the mixed team event.

Following the victory, Team Chinese Taipei Coach Lu Ching-Yao shared his perspective on the team's performance. He emphasized that while winning is always important, participating in the 2026 AUC Badminton as a university team brings many educational benefits. "In standard international matches, players view winning and world rankings as the most important things," Lu explained. "But coming into this championship from an educational standpoint, we really want the players to learn something different on the court." 

Korea's Team Leader Hwang Sun Ho expressed his pride in his squad's performance throughout the mixed team competition. "To be honest, when we first arrived, I wondered how far we could go," Hwang said. "But once the matches started, the players performed incredibly well, making it all the way to the final. The ones I want to thank the most are the players." While the ultimate goal is always to win, Hwang remains highly positive about the result and the effort his team put in. "Of course, it is not that we didn't want to win the championship, but the players' performance exceeded our initial expectations. Because of that, I am actually already very satisfied."

Unforgettable First Impressions: Athletes Dive into the Heart of Taipei

As the 2026 AUC Badminton gets underway, athletes from various countries and regions are taking a moment off the court to share their first impressions of Taipei. Beyond preparing for their upcoming matches, the competitors are noticing a few local differences. With Taipei currently entering its annual plum rain season, the persistent weather has definitely caught their attention.

Ampo Mutsuki from the University of Tsukuba pointed out the local weather. He mentioned that while it is generally hot, the continuous rain creates huge temperature shifts. Meanwhile, athletes from Hong Kong, including Ng Tin Yan, Leung Sze Lok, and Yang Yan Pui, said that it feels like it rains every single day. They admitted the weather wasn't quite what they expected, as they initially anticipated a climate closer to home.

However, for the athletes representing Saudi Arabia, the rain is a welcome change. Alharbi Shaima Abdulrahman O. from King Abdulaziz University is enjoying her first visit. "Actually, I am enjoying the view and the weather," she shared. "Because in Saudi Arabia, we have no rain, and it's like 40 to 45 degrees there. So this weather is good for us. We are enjoying the rain."

Beyond the weather, the players are appreciating the welcoming local atmosphere. Yang Yan Pui described the city's rhythm as "very comfortable and slow-paced." Saigh Yazan Nazeeh A. from the University of Business and Technology expressed a positive sentiment, stating, "The organization is so beautiful and everything is comfortable." The friendly environment is also leaving a strong mark on newcomers. "This is my first time in Taipei, and I really like it here because the people are very friendly," shared Tan Seo Shien Grace from the National University of Singapore.