Iris Wang (born September 2, 1994) is an American badminton player who competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Iris Wang
Personal information
CountryUnited States
Born (1994-09-02) September 2, 1994 (age 30)
Pasadena, California, U.S.
ResidenceArcadia, California, U.S.
Height5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)
HandednessRight
Women's singles & doubles
Highest ranking19 (WS January 3, 2023)
24 (XD April 21, 2011)
Current ranking44 (WS January 2, 2024)
Medal record
Women's badminton
Representing the  United States
Pan American Games
Silver medal – second place 2011 Guadalajara Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Toronto Women's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Lima Women's singles
Pan American Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Guadalajara Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Curitiba Women's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Guatemala City Women's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2022 San Salvador Women's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Kingston Women's singles
Pan American Mixed Team Championships
Silver medal – second place 2010 Curitiba Mixed team
Silver medal – second place 2013 Santo Domingo Mixed team
Silver medal – second place 2014 Markham Mixed team
BWF profile

Personal life

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Wang was born in Pasadena, California, on September 2, 1994, to Chinese parents.[1] Her older sister, Rena Wang, is also an international badminton player.[2]

Career

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Wang won a bronze medal in the women's doubles at the 2010 Pan Am Badminton Championships playing alongside her sister Rena.[1] In 2011, she was eliminated at the quarterfinal stage of the women's singles at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, after losing to Canadian player Michelle Li.[3] Competing alongside her sister Rena, Wang won a silver medal in the women's doubles.[2]

At the 2013 Pan Am Badminton Championships she won a silver medal in the team event as part of the United States squad.[1] Wang won the gold medal at the 2014 Brazil International tournament, defeating Lohaynny Vicente in the final.[4] She also won gold medals at the Mercosul International and Argentina International events.[1] She was part of the United States squad that won a team silver medal at the 2014 Pan Am Badminton Championships.[1]

At the 2015 Pan American Games held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Wang won a bronze medal in the women's singles.[1] She defeated Damaris Ortiz Prada of Venezuela, Luana Vicente of Brazil and Daniela Macias of Peru, before losing her semifinal to Rachel Honderich of Canada.[5]

In February 2016, Wang was part of the United States squad that won the women's team gold medal at the Pan American Team Continental Championships. Wang defeated Canada's Kyleigh O'Donoghue 21–12, 21–4, as the US won the final 3–2.[6]

As of May 2016, Wang was ranked 33rd in the world for women's singles.[7] The 34 highest ranked athletes, with a maximum of two per nation, earned qualification for the women's singles event in at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[8] The United States Olympic Committee confirmed Wang's place in the United States team on May 10, 2016.[9]

Achievements

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Pan American Games

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Women's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2015 Atos Markham Pan Am Centre, Toronto, Canada   Rachel Honderich 15–21, 11–21   Bronze
2019 Polideportivo 3, Lima, Peru   Michelle Li 10–21, 5–21   Bronze

Women's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2011 Multipurpose Gymnasium,
Guadalajara, Mexico
  Rena Wang   Alex Bruce
  Michelle Li
15–21, 15–21   Silver

Pan American Championships

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Women's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2021 Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, Guatemala City, Guatemala   Rachel Chan 21–19, 19–21, 9–21   Bronze
2022 Palacio de los Deportes Carlos "El Famoso" Hernández, San Salvador, El Salvador   Michelle Li 14–21, 18–21   Bronze
2023 G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport, Kingston, Jamaica   Beiwen Zhang 11–21, 12–21   Bronze

Women's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2009 Coliseo Olímpico de la Universidad de Guadalajara,
Guadalajara, Mexico
  Rena Wang   Grace Gao
  Fiona McKee
17–21, 21–18, 18–21   Bronze
2010 Clube Curitibano,
Curitiba, Brazil
  Rena Wang   Grace Gao
  Joycelyn Ko
16–21, 21–19, 18–21   Bronze

BWF World Tour (1 runner-up)

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The BWF World Tour, which was announced on March 19, 2017, and implemented in 2018,[10] is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tour is divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300 (part of the HSBC World Tour), and the BWF Tour Super 100.[11]

Women's singles

Year Tournament Level Opponent Score Result
2022 Orléans Masters Super 100   Putri Kusuma Wardani 21–7, 19–21, 18–21   Runner-up

BWF International Challenge/Series (6 titles, 5 runners-up)

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Women's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
2013 Santo Domingo Open   Lohaynny Vicente 21–18, 21–6   Winner
2013 USA International   Beiwen Zhang 10–21, 12–21   Runner-up
2014 Mercosul International   Bo Rong 18–21, 21–17, 21–15   Winner
2014 Argentina International   Bo Rong 21–12, 21–15   Winner
2014 Brazil International   Lohaynny Vicente 11–5, 11–9, 11–7   Winner
2015 Spanish International   Beatriz Corrales 13–21, 21–14, 21–15   Winner
2015 Bangladesh International   Gadde Ruthvika Shivani 21–23, 21–19, 18–21   Runner-up
2016 Peru International   Karin Schnaase 6–21, 17–21   Runner-up
2019 Maldives International   Vũ Thị Trang 21–15, 21–14   Winner

Women's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
2010 Brazil International   Rena Wang   Eva Lee
  Paula Lynn Obañana
21–14, 11–21, 12–21   Runner-up
2011 Peru International   Rena Wang   Alex Bruce
  Michelle Li
21–11, 15–21, 8–21   Runner-up
  BWF International Challenge tournament
  BWF International Series tournament
  BWF Future Series tournament

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Iris Wang Badminton". United States Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on July 29, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  2. ^ a b Hearn, Don. "Iris Wang – America's young globetrotter". BAdminton World. Archived from the original on September 19, 2016. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  3. ^ "Canada captures tae kwon do gold at Pan Am Games". The Globe and Mail. October 17, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  4. ^ Morikawa, Kota. "Iris Wang Takes Gold at Brazil Int". Badminton Monthly. Archived from the original on August 15, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  5. ^ "Badminton - Athlete Profile Wang Iris". Official Website of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games. Archived from the original on August 5, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  6. ^ Pavitt, Michael (February 20, 2016). "Hosts Mexico and United States earn Pan American Team Badminton Championship crowns". Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  7. ^ "Race to Rio - BWF Olympic Qualification". Badminton World Federation. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  8. ^ "Olympic Qualification Regulations for Rio 2016". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  9. ^ Bonhert, Craig. "USA Badminton Qualifies In All Five Olympic Events For First Time In History, Announces Roster". United States Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on May 11, 2016. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  10. ^ Alleyne, Gayle (March 19, 2017). "BWF Launches New Events Structure". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  11. ^ Sukumar, Dev (January 10, 2018). "Action-Packed Season Ahead!". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on January 13, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
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