A TALENTED Chester badminton player will fly the flag for England at the BWF Junior World Championships in South America.

Hayley Rogers, who lives in Delamere, has been selected by Badminton England in the 10-strong elite squad to take on the world’s best junior players for the Suhandinanta Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The competition begins tomorrow and runs for 10 days.

Hayley, 17, a sixth-former at Tarporley High School, has only recently returned from international duty in Denmark, representing England in the Six Nations tournament.

Hayley’s mum Alison said: “Hayley has been selected for the England squads since she was in junior school.

“She is tremendously determined as the strains of playing elite badminton means she has to travel abroad for competitions and also around the country to places like Birmingham for training.”

Hayley’s success has meant that she has had to balance her competitions, training and schooling in the build-up to her A-Levels in 12 months time where she will be sitting exams in Maths, German, Psychology, Physics and General Studies.

“It is more difficult for Hayley than most people imagine as her competitions and training sometimes mean that she has to miss her schooling”, said Alison.

“The amount of commitment needed to undertake sports like badminton is underestimated and Hayley receives only £500 yearly travel expenses from Badminton England and no longer receives the benefit of free badminton courts from the council.”

Hayley is hoping to further her badminton when she heads off to university at the end of her A-Levels.

Alison said: “Hayley wants to get into a university which has an affiliation with Badminton England so that she can continue progressing her career.”