Smash to success

EVEN though she had the opportunity to professionally pursue both basketball and badminton, Woon Khe Wei chose the latter because like her father, she dreamt of becoming a national shuttler.
Following two years of training in the state team, Woon got into the national team at 15 years old. Everything seemed to be going as planned, until her career hit a turning point right before the 2013 SEA Games when she suffered a bad knee injury.
While everyone around Woon advised her to take a break and undergo surgery because they thought she wouldn’t be able to succeed even if she pressed on, the determined lass refused, knowing that an operation would make her knee weaker.
So with her coach’s trust and her own willpower, Woon overcame the injury and rose as a champion in the Women’s Doubles event. She also went on to represent Malaysia at last year’s Rio Olympics.
“I put very high expectations on myself. It’s not easy to get the chance to qualify, so you must aim high,” said the 27-year-old, who’s eyeing on and working hard for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
What fuelled your decision to make badminton a career?
I just went with the flow. When I first joined the national team, I wasn’t the best player and the coach didn’t pay much attention to me because he was focusing on the top two pairs. So I kept trying until I made it to the top two without even realising. When I saw my teammates competing and returning with good results, I was motivated to do well. I knew what I wanted when I was 18 or 19.
How did it feel when you first qualified for the Olympics?
For the 2012 Olympics, my partner and I, as well as a senior pair were fighting for only one qualifying spot. Unfortunately, none of us qualified. So when we got it last year, I was very relieved. There was a lot of pressure because people hoped for us to get good results, and we also wanted to perform well.
Name the most stressful period in your career so far.
Every tournament is tough. But the most difficult time was the year before the Olympics because athletes around the world were fighting for their spots to qualify.
I really wanted to give up because it was very stressful. Luckily, my coach was very supportive. He told me to appreciate the opportunity because it’s not easy to qualify. So you need to be mentally strong.
What is it like playing in a doubles team?
Communication is most important. Sometimes, girls can be emotional and sensitive. So even if we don’t see eye to eye, we have to be patient and control our emotions. Before a game, we have to lay out our strategy clearly. If either of us feels uncomfortable with a strategy, we will discuss an alternative plan. Both of us must have the same heart and mind in a game.
Some words of wisdom for aspiring athletes?
You must have a goal. Once you have that, you will fight for it and sacrifice your time to achieve it. You need to have passion, otherwise you’ll just be wasting your time. Without passion, you may be here physically, but your mind and soul can be elsewhere. You also need drive, determination and discipline. You won’t succeed if you’re not disciplined. Talent is only a bonus.
TRIVIA
First thing in the morning: Drink water.
Favourite country: Taiwan.
Role model: Gao Ling (badminton player) from China.
Retirement plan: Open a dessert shop.