Badminton star Paige continues to ace it with Trust’s Make It Happen award support

Eighteen-year-old badminton ace Paige Woods has secured a £2000 Mary Peters Trust Make it Happen funding award to support her development programme and ultimately realise her sporting dream of competing at an Olympic Games.

The Hunterhouse College A Level student and Alpha Badminton Club competitor has represented Ulster and Ireland at every level (U13s to U19s) since she was nine and this year moves up a level and aims to compete in senior championships at home and abroad.

Currently number 1 in Ireland at U19 level for both Ladies and Mixed Doubles and number 4 for Ladies Doubles seniors and U19 Ladies Singles, Paige represented Ireland along with club colleague Roisin Mckenna at the 2024 European Juniors (U19s) held in Ibiza, Spain during December.

Team Ireland started with a victory over Portugal (3-2) with Paige and Roisin winning both their matches, before Ireland lost out to Germany and Belgium. Alpha Badminton Club paid tribute to both girls saying, “It was such an incredible achievement for these two young women at the Europeans. We couldn’t be prouder of you both.”

The Trust’s ‘Make It Happen’ awards are presented annually to outstanding athletes helping them take advantage of specialist cutting-edge training and development opportunities aimed at propelling their sporting careers to the next level. 

Paige’s home club, Lisburn based Alpha Badminton believes she has tremendous potential, and the teenager has chalked up a huge number of medal successes in the past two years. These include Gold in the Ladies Doubles Munster U19 Open and the Ladies Doubles Grade A Nationals in Dublin. She also achieved Silver in the Munster U19 Mixed Doubles, the Senior Nationals Ladies Doubles and the U19 Irish Open Ladies Doubles held in Dublin. Added to this list of accolades, is a bronze in the U19 Portuguese Open Ladies Doubles.

Paige explains, “Now that I’ll be competing at senior level, my goal is to be selected for the Senior Irish Team and to play overseas in the Senior Future Series Events.”

Congratulating Paige on all her achievements to date, Lady Mary Peters said, “I know Paige and her ‘Badminton’ family very well and she is a highly committed and hardworking young athlete who will benefit immensely from our Make It Happen Award funding.

“A Trust award will enable Paige to benefit from additional ‘away from home’ training sessions, strength and conditioning classes combined with an acclimatisation programme as well as helping her to take part in regional and provincial championships.

“Our Make it Happen awards are presented to the very best emerging young talent helping them to source targeted support and aid development leading to future success and ultimately medal wins.

“I look forward to following Paige’s sporting journey and I know she will give of her very best to achieve goals and reach her Olympic Games dream.”