McGill Career Highlights
SOPHOMORE YEAR (2022-23): Named McGill and RSEQ rookie of the year... Voted RSEQ women's badminton player of the year in the Quebec-based conference... Also merited RSEQ all-star status, earning first-team honours... Became the first member of the Martlets to be named league MVP and the team's second player ever to receive RSEQ rookie-of-the-year honours. Zhang went undefeated during the RSEQ season, posting a perfect 11-0 record in singles and a 3-0 mark in mixed doubles. In terms of sets played, she registered a 22-0 mark in singles and went 6-1 in mixed doubles. She was unable to compete at the RSEQ championship meet (March 11-12) because of a national team training camp in Calgary, where she was preparing for the Polish Open, an international tournament in Tarnów, Poland, March 22-26.
FRESHMAN YEAR (2021-22): In pre-med program... did not compete on the university circuit... A product of Marianopolis College, Zhang received a J.W. McConnell Entrance scholarship to McGill in 2021, valued at $2,000 per year. She also received a $4,000 athletic excellence bursary from the Aléo Foundation.
Canadian National Team Highlights
- Was a mixed doubles quarterfinalist at the 2022 Pan American Championships with Adam Dong
- At the 2017 Junior Pan American Championships, won U17 singles silver and U19 mixed doubles bronze
- Won bronze U19 bronze in singles and mixed doubles at the 2019 Junior Pan American Championships
- Reached the singles quarterfinals at the 2023 US Open for her highest finish at the BWF World Tour event
Notable International Results
BWF World Junior Championships: 2018 - R64 (doubles) BPA Pan American Championships: 2022 - QF (mixed) BPA Pan American Junior Championships: 2019 - BRONZE (singles), BRONZE (mixed); 2017 - BRONZE (mixed)
A Little More About Eliana
Getting into the Sport: Started playing badminton at age 7 and began competing at 9… Biggest role model in the sport is Chinese Taipei Olympian Tai Tzu Ying because of her creativity and ability to have a big smile on her face during an intense game… Outside Interests: Enjoys listening to music and playing piano… Would like to pursue a career as an orthodontist… Odds and Ends: Like to wake up early and go for a jog in the morning of competition days. Has a good luck bracelet she always wears… Favourite motto: “Your thoughts create your reality”…
