Australian Badminton Academy

Founder & Principal

Anna Lao AM

Founder, Principal & Australian Olympian

Anna Lao AMOlympian

Anna Lao AM is the heart and driving force of our academy. An Australian Olympian (Barcelona 1992), Commonwealth Games medallist, and Sydney 2000 Olympic Torchbearer, Anna is the most successful badminton player in the history of Australian Badminton. Anna has dedicated her life to the sport, and to building a coaching system that has produced over 50+ national champions, and 200+ state-level players.

Honours Ledger

AM
Member, Order of Australia (2021)
1992
Olympian, Barcelona, Singles & Doubles
5th
World rank, 1992 Olympic Games
3×
Commonwealth Games representative
3
Commonwealth Games medals (1994 / 1998)
20+
Australian National titles

Sydney 2000 Torchbearer · Australian Open Triple-Crown ’89 & ’91 · National-Level Coach

The Coaching Team

Coaches who inspire excellence

Our coaches are more than instructors: they are mentors who model discipline, leadership and respect both on and off the court.

  • James Heng

    General Manager

    James Heng

    James Heng is the General Manager of the Australian Badminton Academy, overseeing academy operations, coach development, student experience, and long-term growth. A former NSW U/17 State Team representative and Oceania Junior Championships competitor, James brings a strong blend of competitive playing experience, coaching knowledge, and business leadership to ABA. His achievements include Top 16 results in Men's Singles and Mixed Doubles at the 2011 Oceania Junior Championships, a Men's Doubles Plate title at the same event, Top 16 at the Australian U/17 Championships, an NSW Junior Open U/19 Men's Doubles title, and multiple NSW Open, UNSW Open, SBA Open, and ABA Junior Open titles across singles and doubles. At ABA, James focuses on building a structured player development pathway that helps students improve with confidence, discipline, and clear progression.

    “My mission at ABA is to use badminton to help young people build confidence, discipline, resilience, and a lifelong love of improvement.”
    Advanced techniqueMatchplay
  • Marvin Ling

    Mentor Coach & Program Supervisor

    Marvin Ling

    Full profile coming soon.

    Student developmentMotivation
  • Yasas Mungala

    Mentor Coach & Program Supervisor

    Yasas Mungala

    Full profile coming soon.

    Staff developmentSkill fundamentals

30+ coaches make up our coaching cohort across Sydney, all developing through ABA’s mentor structure so classes stay consistent from venue to venue.

Become a Coach. We Build Leaders.

You don't need to be a top-tier player to be a great coach. You just need passion.

Coach Development Pathway

Ready to apply?

Send us your details and a bit about your background, and we’ll be in touch about the next steps.

Smashing success, one shuttle at a time

Train with the best

Our coaches are ready to help your child reach their potential. Book a free trial and meet the team.

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