Nyl Yakura

Nyl Yakura
Yakura at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Personal information
BornNyl Kiyoshi Yakura
(1993-02-14) 14 February 1993 (age 33)
Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight150 lb (68 kg)
Sport
CountryCanada
SportBadminton
HandednessRight
Coached byKevin Cao
Men's & mixed doubles
Highest ranking181 (MS, 13 December 2012)
29 (MD with Jason Ho-Shue, 28 June 2018)
59 (XD with Kristen Tsai, 24 September 2019)
Current ranking69 (MD with Jonathan Lai, 20 May 2025)
BWF profile
Medal record
Men's badminton
Representing  Canada
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place2019 LimaMen's doubles
Gold medal – first place2023 SantiagoMen's doubles
Silver medal – second place2019 LimaMixed doubles
Pan Am Championships
Gold medal – first place2016 CampinasMen's doubles
Gold medal – first place2016 CampinasMixed doubles
Gold medal – first place2017 HavanaMen's doubles
Gold medal – first place2018 Guatemala CityMen's doubles
Gold medal – first place2019 AguascalientesMen's doubles
Gold medal – first place2023 KingstonMen's doubles
Silver medal – second place2013 Santo DomingoMen's doubles
Silver medal – second place2017 HavanaMixed doubles
Silver medal – second place2018 Guatemala CityMixed doubles
Silver medal – second place2021 Guatemala CityMen's doubles
Silver medal – second place2024 Guatemala CityMen's doubles
Bronze medal – third place2019 AguascalientesMixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place2022 San SalvadorMen's doubles
Bronze medal – third place2022 San SalvadorMixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place2025 LimaMen's doubles
Pan Am Mixed Team Championships
Gold medal – first place2013 Santo DomingoMixed team
Gold medal – first place2014 MarkhamMixed team
Gold medal – first place2016 CampinasMixed team
Gold medal – first place2017 Santo DomingoMixed team
Gold medal – first place2019 LimaMixed team
Gold medal – first place2023 GuadalajaraMixed team
Gold medal – first place2025 AguascalientesMixed team
Pan Am Male Cup
Gold medal – first place2018 TacariguaMen's team
Gold medal – first place2020 SalvadorMen's team
Gold medal – first place2022 AcapulcoMen's team
Gold medal – first place2024 São PauloMen's team
Gold medal – first place2026 Guatemala CityMen's team
Pan Am Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place2010 Santo DomingoBoys' singles
Gold medal – first place2010 Santo DomingoBoys' doubles
Gold medal – first place2010 Santo DomingoMixed doubles
Gold medal – first place2011 KingstonBoys' doubles
Gold medal – first place2011 KingstonMixed doubles
Gold medal – first place2011 KingstonMixed team

Nyl Kiyoshi Yakura (born 14 February 1993) is a Canadian badminton player. He captured two gold medals at the Pan American Games, winning the men's doubles title in 2019 and 2023, and also a silver in the mixed doubles in 2019. Yakura, who grew up in Pickering, Ontario, currently lives in Toronto and trains at the KC Badminton Club in Markham. He has Japanese and Indonesian heritage.

Career

Yakura competed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

In June 2021, Yakura was named to Canada's Olympic team. Competing in the men's doubles event with Jason Ho-Shue, his pace was stopped in the group stage.

Achievements

Pan American Games

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2019 Polideportivo 3,
Lima, Peru		 Canada Jason Ho-Shue United States Phillip Chew
United States Ryan Chew		 21–11, 19–21, 21–18 Gold Gold
2023 Olympic Training Center,
Santiago, Chile		 Canada Adam Dong Brazil Fabrício Farias
Brazil Davi Silva		 19–21, 21–15, 21–18 Gold Gold

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2019 Polideportivo 3,
Lima, Peru		 Canada Kristen Tsai Canada Joshua Hurlburt-Yu
Canada Josephine Wu		 21–18, 12–21, 15–21 Silver Silver

Pan Am Championships

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2013 Palacio de los Deportes Virgilio Travieso Soto,
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic		 Canada Kevin Li Canada Adrian Liu
Canada Derrick Ng		 21–17, 6–21, 16–21 Silver Silver
2016 Clube Fonte São Paulo,
Campinas, Brazil		 Canada Jason Ho-Shue Canada Phillipe Gaumond
Canada Maxime Marin		 21–13, 21–13 Gold Gold
2017 Sports City Coliseum,
Havana, Cuba		 Canada Jason Ho-Shue Canada Austin Bauer
Canada Ty Alexander Lindeman		 21–18, 21–6 Gold Gold
2018 Teodoro Palacios Flores Gymnasium,
Guatemala City, Guatemala		 Canada Jason Ho-Shue United States Phillip Chew
United States Ryan Chew		 21–17, 21–17 Gold Gold
2019 Gimnasio Olímpico,
Aguascalientes, Mexico		 Canada Jason Ho-Shue Cuba Osleni Guerrero
Cuba Leodannis Martínez		 21–11, 20–22, 21–10 Gold Gold
2021 Sagrado Corazon de Jesus,
Guatemala City, Guatemala		 Canada Jason Ho-Shue United States Phillip Chew
United States Ryan Chew		 Walkover Silver Silver
2022 Palacio de los Deportes Carlos "El Famoso" Hernández,
San Salvador, El Salvador		 Canada Adam Dong Mexico Job Castillo
Mexico Luis Montoya		 21–17, 19–21, 13–21 Bronze Bronze
2023 G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport,
Kingston, Jamaica		 Canada Adam Dong Canada Kevin Lee
Canada Ty Alexander Lindeman		 21–10, 16–21, 22–20 Gold Gold
2024 Teodoro Palacios Flores Gymnasium,
Guatemala City, Guatemala		 Canada Adam Dong United States Chen Zhi-yi
United States Presley Smith		 14–21, 11–21 Silver Silver
2025 Videna Poli 2, Lima, Peru Canada Jonathan Lai United States Chen Zhi-yi
United States Presley Smith		 10–21, 23–21, 11–21 Bronze Bronze

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2016 Clube Fonte São Paulo,
Campinas, Brazil		 Canada Brittney Tam Canada Nathan Osborne
Canada Josephine Wu		 21–17, 21–17 Gold Gold
2017 Sports City Coliseum,
Havana, Cuba		 Canada Brittney Tam Canada Toby Ng
Canada Rachel Honderich		 13–21, 14–21 Silver Silver
2018 Teodoro Palacios Flores Gymnasium,
Guatemala City, Guatemala		 Canada Kristen Tsai Canada Ty Alexander Lindeman
Canada Josephine Wu		 14–21, 24–26 Silver Silver
2019 Gimnasio Olímpico,
Aguascalientes, Mexico		 Canada Kristen Tsai Brazil Fabrício Farias
Brazil Jaqueline Lima		 22–24, 19–21 Bronze Bronze
2022 Palacio de los Deportes Carlos "El Famoso" Hernández,
San Salvador, El Salvador		 Canada Crystal Lai Canada Ty Alexander Lindeman
Canada Josephine Wu		 14–21, 15–21 Bronze Bronze

Pan Am Junior Championships

Boys' singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2010 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Brazil Luiz Enrique Dias Dos Santos Junior 18–21, 21–18, 21–11 Gold Gold

Boys' doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2010 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Canada Henry Wiebe Canada Neil Tai-Pow
Canada Andrew Wilkinson		 21–8, 21–18 Gold Gold
2011 National Indoor Sports Centre,
Kingston, Jamaica		 Canada Clinton Wong Canada Andrew Lau
Canada Andrew Wilkinson		 16–21, 21–17, 21–8 Gold Gold

Mixed doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2010 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Canada Adrianna Giuffre Canada Michael Diamond
Canada Surabhi Kadam		 19–21, 21–16, 21–16 Gold Gold
2011 National Indoor Sports Centre,
Kingston, Jamaica		 Canada Adrianna Giuffre Canada Andrew Wilkinson
Canada Jody Chan		 21–18, 17–21, 21–16 Gold Gold

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

Men's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
2016 Yonex / K&D Graphics International Canada B. R. Sankeerth Denmark Frederik Colberg
Denmark Rasmus Fladberg		 8–21, 21–18, 6–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2017 Internacional Mexicano Canada Jason Ho-Shue Mexico Job Castillo
Mexico Lino Muñoz		 18–21, 21–11, 21–17 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2018 Brazil International Canada Jason Ho-Shue India Tarun Kona
India Saurabh Sharma		 21–7 retired 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2019 Yonex / K&D Graphics International Canada Jason Ho-Shue Chinese Taipei Chen Xin-yuan
Chinese Taipei Lin Yu-chieh		 21–23, 20–22 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2021 Internacional Mexicano Canada Adam Dong Italy Fabio Caponio
Italy Giovanni Toti		 21–10, 21–10 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2022 Sydney International Canada Adam Dong Chinese Taipei Lee Fang-chih
Chinese Taipei Lee Fang-jen		 12–21, 21–16, 16–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2022 Peru Challenge Canada Adam Dong Canada Jason Ho-Shue
Canada Joshua Hurlburt-Yu		 15–21, 21–18, 12–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2023 Peru Challenge Canada Adam Dong Canada Kevin Lee
Canada Ty Alexander Lindeman		 16–21, 18–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2023 Canadian International Canada Adam Dong Malaysia Mohamad Arif Abdul Latif
Canada Jonathan Lai		 21–13, 17–21, 15–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2024 Hungarian International Canada Jonathan Lai England Oliver Butler
England Samuel Jones		 9–21, 21–11, 21–11 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
2017 Yonex / K&D Graphics International Canada Kristen Tsai New Zealand Oliver Leydon-Davis
New Zealand Susannah Leydon-Davis		 21–11, 21–8 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
  BWF International Challenge tournament
  BWF International Series tournament
  BWF Future Series tournament

References

  1. ↑ "Nyl Yakura biography". BWF-Tournament Software. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  2. ↑ "Nyl Yakura". Badminton Canada. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  3. ↑ "Canada's badminton team enjoys dominant day at Pan Ams". CBC.ca. 2 August 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  4. ↑ Fenton, Caela (25 October 2023). "Day 5 at Santiago 2023: Mac Neil makes history, badminton gold rush". Canadian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  5. ↑ "Pickering's Nyl Yakura follows mother's advice in pursuit of Olympics". Durham Region News. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  6. ↑ "Road to the Olympics: Badminton champ Nyl Yakura wins second consecutive Pan Am gold". Nikkei Voice | The Japanese Canadian National Newspaper. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  7. ↑ "Participants: Nyl Yakura". Gold Coast 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.[dead link]
  8. ↑ Awad, Brandi (16 June 2021). "Team Canada to have its largest Olympic badminton team ever at Tokyo 2020". Canadian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  9. ↑ "Yakura Nyl". Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 6 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.