Badminton helps me relax and have fun during the weekends. When I was young, badminton was not my first sport (swimming was). I started swimming when I was around seven years old and enjoyed it. But, when the pandemic began and my swimming classes stopped, I wasn’t able to swim for about two years. After COVID subsided, I stopped swimming and decided to start badminton classes during the summer before eighth grade. I slowly found interest in the sport and now here I am, taking badminton classes every week.
As I continued learning badminton, I began watching the BWF World Championships. I became interested in a women’s singles player: Korea’s An Se-Young . She was able to get up swiftly after falling down to catch the birdie. Soon, she became number 1 ranked in the World Championships eight weeks ago. Due to her exceptional track record of 258 wins and only 56 losses, I consider her a role model and use her as inspiration to improve my badminton skills.
An Se-Young started playing badminton when she was in elementary school. Since then, she has won many awards, including the Rookie Award at Coca Cola Sports Awards in the Republic of Korea. She started in World Rank 1335 in February of 2018. During April of the same year, she quickly moved up the ranks, from 1297 to 509. An Se-Young started her World Tour Ranking at 133 in September of 2018. As time went on, she won more competitions and steadily moved both of her rankings up, until in August of 2023, she reached number 1.
Just recently, An Se-Young won a gold medal in Women’s Single Badminton for Korea in the China Open Super 1000. Super 1000 is the most difficult level of badminton competitions. Almost all of the seeded badminton players go. Seeded badminton players are the people at the top of the ranks in the BWF World Ranks and World Tour Ranks. The lowest badminton game is Super 100. It depends on the nation where it is occurring, as if there are more people attending, there is more money available to give to the competitors. The amount of money is what ultimately determines the level of the badminton game.
An Se-Young became the first person in Korea to ever win a women’s single in a Super 1000 game. That was a major accomplishment for both herself and her nation. It was technically not a big surprise, as people had faith and trust in her to be an exemplary badminton player since she first started playing in competitions.
Through five years, An Se-Young, who’s only 21 years old, advanced through almost 1000 ranks in the World Ranks. I’m excited to see her continue succeeding in badminton and hope more people in America recognize badminton for the amazing sport that it is.
Credits:
“An Se Young: Profile.” BWF Fansite, bwfbadminton.com/player/87442/an-se-young. Accessed 28 Sept. 2023.
