Paula Lynn Obañana

Paula Lynn Cao Hok (née Obañana; born March 19, 1985) is a Filipino-born badminton player who competes internationally for the United States. In 2015, she won the women's doubles gold medals at the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada partnered with Eva Lee. In 2016, she competed at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Personal life Paula Lynn Obañana was born in Dumaguete, Philippines and started training at the age of 10 during her elementary years at the Silliman University Elementary School. She joined the high school badminton Varsity Team at Silliman University and was subsequently awarded "Athlete of the Year", "Most Outstanding Athlete of the Year", and "Most Valuable Player". After graduating from high school she was recruited on a scholarship to De La Salle University in Manila where she obtained her bachelor's degree.

Obañana left the Philippines in 2006 for the United States, where her mother Nenita had been recruited to work as a nurse in Minnesota. She became a U.S. citizen in May 2011.

Achievements

Pan American Games Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2011 Multipurpose Gymnasium,Guadalajara, Mexico Eva Lee Alex Bruce Michelle Li 21–12, 16-21, 19-21 Bronze Bronze 2015 Atos Markham Pan Am Centre,Toronto, Canada Eva Lee Lohaynny Vicente Luana Vicente 21–14, 21–6 Gold Gold

Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2011 Multipurpose Gymnasium,Guadalajara, Mexico Howard Bach Toby Ng Grace Gao 11–21, 21–19, 14–21 Bronze Bronze 2019 Polideportivo 3,Lima, Peru Howard Shu Nyl Yakura Kristen Tsai 15–21, 15–21 Bronze Bronze

Pan Am Championships Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 2013 Palacio de los Deportes Virgilio Travieso Soto,Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Eva Lee Alex Bruce Phyllis Chan 21–15, 21–13 Gold Gold 2014 Markham Pan Am Centre,Markham, Canada Eva Lee Lohaynny Vicente Luana Vicente 23–21, 21–14 Gold Gold

BWF Grand Prix (1 runner-up) The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and played between 2007 and 2017.

Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 2014 U.S. Grand Prix Eva Lee Hsieh Pei-chen Wu Ti-jung 16–21, 10–21 Runner-up BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament BWF Grand Prix tournament

BWF International Challenge/Series (19 titles, 13 runners-up) Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 2009 Miami Pan Am International Priscilla Lun Sandra Chirlaque Alejandra Monteverde 22–20, 13–21, 21–13 Winner 2010 Brazil International Eva Lee Iris Wang Rena Wang 14–21, 21–11, 21–12 Winner 2011 Guatemala International Eva Lee Grace Gao Joycelyn Ko 19–21, 21–18, 21–13 Winner 2011 Brazil International Eva Lee Alex Bruce Michelle Li 21–14, 21–17 Winner 2011 Norwegian International Eva Lee Lotte Jonathans Paulien van Dooremalen 17–21, 21–6, 21–13 Winner 2012 Swedish Masters Eva Lee Mariana Agathangelou Heather Olver 15–21, 12–21 Runner-up 2012 Austrian International Eva Lee Ng Hui Ern Ng Hui Lin 16–21, 18–21 Runner-up 2012 Polish Open Eva Lee Mariana Agathangelou Heather Olver 12–21, 21–23 Runner-up 2012 Tahiti International Eva Lee Alex Bruce Michelle Li 21–13, 21–12 Winner 2013 Canadian International Eva Lee Alex Bruce Phyllis Chan 15–21, 14–21 Winner 2013 Bulgarian International Eva Lee Gabriela Stoeva Stefani Stoeva 15–21, 10–21 Runner-up 2014 Peru International Eva Lee Nicole Grether Charmaine Reid 21–14, 21–15 Winner 2014 Guatemala International Eva Lee Paula Pereira Fabiana Silva 11–3, 11–3, 11–10 Winner 2014 USA International Eva Lee Naoko Fukuman Kurumi Yonao 10–21, 23–25 Runner-up 2015 Guatemala International Eva Lee Johanna Goliszewski Carla Nelte 18–21, 22–24 Runner-up 2015 Bulgarian International Eva Lee Gabriela Stoeva Stefani Stoeva 14–21, 10–21 Runner-up 2015 Chile International Challenge Eva Lee Lohaynny Vicente Luana Vicente 21–17, 21–16 Winner 2016 Austrian Open Eva Lee Ekaterina Bolotova Evgeniya Kosetskaya 11–21, 21–23 Runner-up 2016 Tahiti International Eva Lee Akane Araki Ayaka Kawasaki 13–21, 12–21 Runner-up 2016 Yonex / K&D Graphics International Eva Lee Jing Yu Hong Beiwen Zhang 17–21, 20–22 Runner-up 2022 Peru Challenge Lauren Lam Annie Xu Kerry Xu 21–19, 21–18 Winner 2022 Mexican International Lauren Lam Catherine Choi Josephine Wu 19–21, 10–21 Runner-up 2022 El Salvador International Lauren Lam Annie Xu Kerry Xu 21–18, 21–17 Winner 2023 Estonian International Lauren Lam Moa Sjöö Tilda Sjöö 21–10, 21–11 Winner 2023 Lagos International Lauren Lam Simran Singhi Ritika Thaker Walkover Runner-up 2024 Uganda International Lauren Lam Francesca Corbett Allison Lee 19–21, 21–18, 21–15 Winner

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 2011 Miami International Phillip Chew Lasitha Menaka Renu Chandrika Hettiarachchige 21–18, 17–21, 21–10 Winner 2019 Uganda International Howard Shu Vinson Chiu Breanna Chi 21–9, 21–12 Winner 2019 Mauritius International Howard Shu Vinson Chiu Breanna Chi 17–21, 16–21 Runner-up 2019 Peru International Howard Shu Fabricio Farias Jaqueline Lima 21–17, 22–20 Winner 2019 Benin International Howard Shu Pit Seng Low Louisa Ma 21–12, 21–13 Winner 2019 Côte d'Ivoire International Howard Shu Ahmed Salah Hadia Hosny 21–16, 21–14 Winner BWF International Challenge tournament BWF International Series tournament BWF Future Series tournament