This weekend, Pembrokeshire welcomed elite badminton players from across Wales to the first-
ever West Wales Graded competition. Hosted by Haverfordwest Badminton Club, the event, the
largest ever badminton tournament held in Pembrokeshire showcased over 100 players, vying for
ranking points at the impressive Pembrokeshire Sports Village.
The graded competition is a series of 4 tournaments across held across Wales in which
Badminton Wales, the national governing body of badminton, pick the best players to compete in
the annual Four Nations Graded International against England, Scotland and Ireland.
Badminton Wales Huw John, who has played badminton for over 50 years and a former All
England Masters singles champion described the event as “Truly fantastic, a super tournament. It
was wonderful to see some new faces taking part and what a lovely place Pembrokeshire is to
come and visit. The event has been a credit to your club.”
Huw currently trains young and upcoming badminton talents like Miya Pan and Janis Leung and it
was no surprise to him that both players reached the Womens singles final, with Miya eventually
taking the crown.
The standout performer of the day in the mens E/F grade competitions was Jamie Noble, who
achieved a remarkable treble by winning the mens singles, mens doubles, and mixed doubles.
Jamie, a 24-year-old from Flintshire, North Wales, shared his excitement:
"This is the first time I’ve won all three events at a single competition, and it feels good — quite
surreal, to be honest. I’m exhausted though, and my legs are still hurting 48 hours later! I really
enjoyed the day; it was a great event with a good standard of play, and I had some tough but fun
games.
Jamie has been playing badminton since the age of 7 but has faced challenges this year due to
injuries. The West Wales Graded competition marked his return to competitive play after over two
months. Jamie's talent became evident at age 11 when he received one-on-one coaching from
Luke Tanner, a coach based in North Wales. Now, he plays twice, sometimes three times a week,
and encourages others to take up the sport, citing its fun nature and fitness benefits
The club expressed their gratitude for the crucial funding provided by Valero, without which the
competition would not have been possible. Stephen Thornton, Valero’s Manager of Public Affairs,
commented, “Hosting this event is a fantastic achievement for Haverfordwest Badminton Club and
for the sport in the county. Valero’s ethos is all about promoting inclusivity and excellence, and this
event encapsulates both.”
Following the success of the competition, Badminton Wales has revealed that it is very likely they
will return to Pembrokeshire in 2025.
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