Phase-based descriptions of the badminton overhead smash can support coach-relevant feedback when laboratory motion capture is impractical. This cross-sectional exploratory case series characterises dominant-side, two-dimensional key-event joint-angle configurations (knee, hip, shoulder, elbow) across five phases (preparation, start, acceleration, impact, termination) in elite Colombian players from the Antioquia Badminton League. Athletes performed three maximal-effort smashes; one trial per athlete was selected for analysis using pre-defined visibility criteria, and one key-event frame per phase was digitised in Kinovea. Outcomes are descriptive phase-specific angle values and between-athlete dispersion metrics. The study is retrospectively registered for transparency.

Badminton overhead smash performance depends on coordinated whole-body contributions and is often judged qualitatively in applied settings. This study provides a field-based, minimal-equipment description of dominant-side planar joint-angle configurations across five technical phases of the overhead smash using a single lateral high-speed camera. Five elite athletes (men n=4; woman n=1) from the Antioquia Badminton League were recorded at 240 frames·s-¹ during maximal-effort smashes. Phases were defined as preparation (F1), start (F2), acceleration (F3), impact (F4), and termination (F5), with one key-event frame selected per phase. Knee, hip, shoulder, and elbow internal angles were extracted via three-point definitions in Kinovea. Data are reported descriptively (male subgroup as mean±SD and CV%; female case descriptively). The intention is to offer coach-interpretable phase references and to identify phases with higher inter-individual dispersion.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 5 years of organised badminton experience
• Current Antioquia Badminton League affiliation
• Competitive participation in ≥5 federated tournaments
• Previous selection to a representative team at least at national level
• Able to execute maximal-effort overhead smashes on the testing day

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pain or musculoskeletal complaints affecting upper limb, trunk, or lower limb on the testing day
• Any condition preventing maximal-effort overhead smashes

High-performance adult badminton players from the Antioquia Badminton League (Colombia) with extensive competitive experience, assessed in a single session to describe 2D phase-based overhead smash joint-angle configurations.

Individual participant data will not be shared publicly because the sample is very small and drawn from an identifiable elite sports environment, meaning that de-identified records could still be re-identified when combined with contextual information. In addition, the source materials include video-derived measures, and participant consent was obtained for analysis and publication of aggregated results rather than unrestricted public release of participant-level data. Summary statistics and methodological details are reported in the publication; additional details may be considered on a case-by-case basis under a data-use agreement and ethics constraints.