Chen Yufei, the reigning women's singles gold medalist from the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, is setting her sights on defending her title at Paris 2024. 🏅
Under the guidance of coach Luo Yigang, Chinese women's singles players have been dominating the badminton scene, clinching major titles like the Tokyo Olympics and the Uber Cup. With four of the top-eight players from China securing their spots at the Badminton World Federation's Olympic qualification tournament, the competition is fierce!
For Paris 2024, China is sending Chen Yufei and He Bingjiao to represent in the women's singles event, thanks to the rule limiting each national association to two players. 🏸
Chen shared her journey with the China Media Group (CMG), saying, \"I have been in my comfort zone since I won the women's singles Olympic gold medal. I haven't been able to achieve any major breakthrough since then. I have lost many matches by no more than two points. Those matches looked close and I seemed to be working hard, but I just couldn't win. It had nothing to do with my stamina. I just lacked enough will to win.\"
Coach Luo added, \"Chen wants to win her second gold in Paris, but I can feel that something has changed with her mindset. She may not handle it well when difficulties grow too big for her. That's one of my concerns.\" 🤔
One of the biggest challenges Chen faces is going up against An Se-young of South Korea, the current World No. 1. Luo highlighted, \"An Se-young is one of the main opponents for us. She may not be as aggressive as she used to be before suffering an injury at the Asian Games, but no one has 100-percent confidence in beating An in a women's singles match, even after she slows down.\"
Chen acknowledged An's tactical prowess, stating, \"I think An reads the match better than before and better than I do. She understands the sport well. She always chooses the right tactics and reads her opponent's plays correctly. She knows exactly how to win the match.\" 🎯
As Paris 2024 approaches, Chen aims to not only defend her title but also to enjoy the game. She believes the key is finding a balance between staying confident and maintaining a relaxed mindset. Let’s cheer her on as she strives for greatness once again! 🌟
