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Three-time national badminton champion Ayman Ibn Zaman has set his sights on winning gold for Bangladesh in next year’s South Asian Games, following a notable return to national competition after a nine-year hiatus.

The 14th edition of the South Asian Games is scheduled to be held in Pakistan in 2026.Ìý

Ayman, who won the men’s singles title in the Bangladesh Games in 2013 and national men’s singles titles in 2014 and 2016, moved to the USA for higher studies in 2020, but his passion for the sport returned him to the court.Ìý

Despite falling short in the round of 32 in the recently concluded 39th National Badminton Championships, the 28-year-old was selected in the 20-member preliminary squad for the South Asian Games.

‘I lost to the current number six player from the Bangladesh Army in a close final set,’ Ayman told ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ·.

‘But being selected in the 20-man team is a positive step towards my goal of representing Bangladesh again.’

Even though Ayman failed to achieve his primary goal, he remained determined to make an impact on the international stage.

‘The ultimate goal is to win gold at the South Asian Games and eventually break into the top 200 in the world rankings. That would pave the way for the World Championship and even the Olympics,’ he said.

Over 300 players participated in the men’s singles event, with the federation forming a national pool from the top performers.

The tournament also saw a strong field that included the eventual champion Khandokar Abdus Swad of Ansar & VDP, who lifted his third straight title.

Despite being absent from national competition for nearly a decade, Ayman has been actively training and participating in state-level tournaments in the USA, where he has emerged as a champion in three states—Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska.

He believes the level of competition in Bangladesh has improved remarkably, especially with a new committee comprising former national players.Ìý

‘There’s a big difference in the setup now. The current committee is more player-orientated. They are thinking a lot about how to bring in sponsorship and then how to support us so that we can secure results abroad,’ said Ayman.

‘We are going to Thailand in August, a team of seven. We are going to Sydney in October, and then we have a tournament in India. So, before the South Asian Games, we're going to play a lot of international tournaments. This will help the players become more competitive on the international stage.’

Ayman further said the current generation of players has better fitness and international experience.

‘Back in 2016, I was one of the fittest. Now, the average age is around 20-22, and most of them have already played abroad,’ he said.

‘The players of the current generation are very fit. Another reason they are fit is that they play many international tournaments. So it's not like they are coming straight from the local stage.

‘Those who played, from the top 32 onwards, are all players with international experience. So, at that point, it's anybody's game; it's 50-50 there. I could have won the round of 32 and gone to the top 16, then gone to the top.

‘If I had won, then I would say we are still in the same place… So, there is a massive improvement, and I can at least say 10-12 players can easily do well at the international level,’ he added.

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