The Commonwealth Games kicked off with a challenging opening day for “minnow” badminton teams like Falkland Islands, Barbados, and Maldives. Despite facing stronger opponents, these teams found positives in their experience. Let’s explore their stories and the valuable lessons they learned on the big stage.
Falkland Islands: A Big Moment on the Show Court
In the women’s doubles Round of 32, Falkland Islands’ Louise Williams and Laura Harada faced Scotland’s Julie Macpherson and Ciara Torrance. Although they lost in straight games, they were thrilled to have the opportunity to play on the show court and be televised.
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Williams expressed her excitement, “What a way to do it, on the show court, on the TV, it’s a big moment. All of our family were there, and all of our supporters, it’s amazing.” She continued, “For us, just being involved is the most important thing. We’re very passionate about sports in the Falklands, and it’s nice to compete against different people. This is a chance to be out there, show everyone that we are here to do our best and proud to represent our country. All other small island nations, we’re all coming here and feeling the same thing.”
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Harada added, “Even though we’re a small nation, we’re still here and hoping we can make an impact, even if it’s just for young people to realize that if you want to pick up sport, no matter where you are, there will be opportunities if you work for it.”
Lessons Learned: Barbados’ Intimidating Experience
Barbados duo Sabrina Scott and Tamisha Williams faced Malaysia’s Cheah Yee See and Lai Pei Jing. It was an intimidating match for the Barbados team, but they embraced the opportunity to learn and grow.
Tamisha Williams shared her takeaway, “My takeaway from the match is to concentrate on playing the game as opposed to the players because knowing who we were up against, it was quite daunting at first, but then the mentality is, what do we have to lose? For us, it was more just to represent our country and ourselves and enjoy the game.”
Maldives: Showing Potential on the Stage
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Ajfan Rasheed and Aminath Abdul Razzaq of Maldives faced Singapore’s Andy Kwek and Jin Yujia in the mixed doubles Round of 64. After a quick opening game loss, they performed much better in the second game, showcasing their potential for the future.
Rasheed shared his optimism, “This is one of our first tournaments since the COVID-19 pandemic. I feel we have a lot of potential, so we can go ahead and try to get better results in the future. It’s a huge honor for us as we’re showing that small nations can come to the stage. We hope for the future, for the younger generations, that they can get even more access to things that we didn’t get.”
FAQs
Q: How did Falkland Islands’ players feel about their experience on the show court?
A: Louise Williams and Laura Harada of Falkland Islands were thrilled to play on the show court and considered it a big moment for them and their country.
Q: What was Barbados’ takeaway from their match against Malaysia?
A: Barbados’ Sabrina Scott and Tamisha Williams learned to concentrate on playing the game rather than focusing on their opponents. They aimed to represent their country and enjoy the game.
Q: How did Maldives’ team view their performance in the tournament?
A: Ajfan Rasheed and Aminath Abdul Razzaq acknowledged their potential for future success and considered it an honor for small nations to participate in such events. They hope that younger generations will have even more access and opportunities.
Conclusion
The Commonwealth Games brought both challenges and valuable experiences for “minnow” badminton teams such as Falkland Islands, Barbados, and Maldives. Despite facing stronger opponents, these teams embraced the opportunity to showcase their skills, represent their countries, and learn from their matches. Their determination and passion are an inspiration for aspiring athletes worldwide.
Nguồn: https://www.carnegiecentre.com
Danh mục: Tin tức
