The Philippine Badminton Association is sending three upcoming shuttlers in a training camp in Guangzhou, China as part of strengthening its grassroots development program.

Sixteen-year-old Krisnin Camille Yang, Janelle Gloriane de Vera, 12, and Klara Lourdes Undan, 17, will join other youthful athletes from Laos, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and India in the three-week program slated on April 7 to May 2.

The training camp will have four to six coaches who are former Chinese champions.

“This is a big leap for Philippine badminton in determining future national players,” RP team coach Errol Chan said yesterday in the weekly SCOOP sa Kamayan Forum at Padre Faura.

“This is part of the association’s program to search for new talents and replace those national players who have not progressed for the past years in the squad,” he added.

The three players were selected according to their performances in several regional age-group competitions including in General Santos City and Quezon City, where they all triumphed.

Chan said all expenses for the training camp will be shouldered by the Badminton Asia — formerly known as the Badminton Asian Confederation — as part of helping countries which are underdeveloped in the sport.

The Chinese badminton association has also offered support in the technical aspects of the camp.

At least 24 other foreign shuttlers are expected to join the Filipino players in training.

“It is their opportunity to improve themselves at this young age and aim for the top in the future,” Chan said.

“Plus, we all know how the Chinese prioritized discipline in all aspects of their life. I’m sure na maraming matututunan ang mga bata pagdating sa disiplina sa sarili,” he added.

The badminton association had also listed Gelita Castillo in the crew, but the latter declined and opted to join the Palarong Pambansa in Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan set on April 20 to 27 instead.

Undan, a student at Canossa College in San Pablo, Laguna, embraced this big break in developing her skills and endurance.