Nyl Yakura

Biography

Nyl Yakura won back-to-back gold medals in men’s doubles at the Pan American Games with two different partners. He was victorious at Lima 2019 with Jason Ho-Shue before teaming up with Adam Dong to compete at Santiago 2023.

Yakura had a longstanding partnership with Ho-Shue that saw them win four consecutive senior men’s doubles gold medals at the Pan American Championships from 2016 to 2019. It was also with Ho-Shue that Yakura made his Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 and earned his career-best result at the BWF World Championships, reaching the round of 32 of men’s doubles in 2019.

In December 2021, Yakura reforged a partnership with Dong. They had competed together briefly in 2016 but then Dong chose to retire before making his comeback five years later. In 2022, Yakura and Dong won men’s doubles bronze at the Pan American Championships and reached the round of 16 at the Commonwealth Games.

They upgraded themselves to gold at the Pan American Championships in 2023, a few months before competing at their first BWF World Championships together, which was followed by their triumph at Santiago 2023. Yakura and Dong were back on the podium at the Pan Am Championships in 2024, taking the silver medal.

Yakura has also enjoyed some international success in mixed doubles, most notably his silver medal at Lima 2019 with Kristen Tsai.

Yakura had hoped to compete at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games, but he suffered a tear to a ligament in his ankle which took him out of the national trials for that team.

A Little More About Nyl

Getting into the Sport: Started competing in badminton at age 10… While watching an Indonesian badminton player celebrate his gold medal at Athens 2004, his desire to compete for Team Canada was sparked… Outside Interests: Began studying fitness and health promotion at Humber College before putting school on hiatus to focus on Tokyo 2020… Has developed an interest in home renovations and can see that as a potential post-badminton career… Odds and Ends: Collects fridge magnets and luggage stickers from each country he visits… Favourite quote “Blood, sweat, and respect. First two you give, last one you earn.” – Dwayne Johnson