Brian Yang impressed many people when he first came onto the international badminton scene around 2021. People took notice and BWF took notice as you can see in the BWF interview with Brian below.
He was young – around 19 – and the future looked bright. Some badminton experts thought Brian Yang could make it to the top 10 on the world tour ranking.
2 years ago I too was convinced that Brian Yang would become a top 10 player at some point during the calendar year 2024. At present Brian is number 28 on the world ranking. That’s an impressive achievement for a men’s singles player from Canada, but still somewhat disappointing.
Mind you, I do want to remain positive about Brian Yang’s prospects. Having spent one-on-one time with him, I can positively say he is a decent and amiable young man. He is grounded, humble, and easy to get along. All appealing personality traits in an athlete.
Facts about Brian Yang
- Youngest ever continental games finalist at 17,6 years of age (Pan American Games 2019)
- Born in Toronto, Canada. Resides in Richmond Hill
- As of 2024 affiliated with Mandarin Badminton Club in Markham, Canada
Is Brian Yang a one-hit-wonder or will he become a permanent fixture on the BWF World Tour?
I wonder why the obvious talent hasn’t produced better results for the 23-year-old Canadian.
Aside from winning the Yonex Canadian International Challenge, Brian’s most notable accomplishment in 2024 was the final at the Indonesian Masters (Super 500) in January 2024. He lost the final to Anders Antonsen in a match that lasted 1 hour and 27 minutes. This final is his biggest achievement so far.
Brian played 23 tournaments in 2024, with a match record of 24-22. He was a favorite to win the Pan American Championships but lost in the semifinal.
On the BWF World Tour, he lost 11 times in the first round and 6 times in the second round. At the Paris Olympics, he did not make it past the group stage.
As a result, Brian’s prize money earnings for 2024 were just North of USD 40.000 of which nearly USD 16.000 stems from his 2nd place at Indonesia Masters. Brian has received support from the wonderful CAN FUND in 2024 and he is supported to some extent by Yonex.
Will 2025 become the real breakthrough year for the young Canadian – or has he peaked already? There are likely some hurdles or challenges he needs to address in order to progress as a professional badminton player.
Brian Yang interviewed by BWF – worth a watch
In November 2021, BWF released a video entitled “Brian Yang making waves. In this video, Brian mentions his training experiences with Yonex Peter Gade Academy in Denmark and talks about his experience training with Viktor Axelsen in Dubai.
What are the hurdles preventing Brian Yang from reaching his potential?
Why has Brian not yet reached his potential? Why has he not made it to the top 10 on the world ranking? Some relevant questions are:
– is the fire that fuels commitment and determination an issue for Brian Yang?
– is his badminton training setup good enough?
– is he getting the right coaching and mental training/guidance?
It is well known that Canada’s badminton training setup is decent. But is it good enough to further develop a player of Brian’s caliber?
What’s your take on this? Let us know in the comments
See Brian in action and follow on Instagram
Brian’s father, Michael, has created a YouTube channel. The channel is an exciting mix of rallies and match recordings- check it out
More than 22.000 people are following Brian on Instagram – you can too
If you are a fan of Brian, let him know on Facebook here
- Is it bye bye Brian Yang or can he turn things around? - December 22, 2024
- The Landmark 2000 Sydney Olympic Games Elevate Badminton to Global Prominence - December 14, 2024
- Inspiring mixed doubles rallies featuring top doubles players - November 19, 2024
