Against all odds

All the setbacks, and the hard-earned victories in 2022 have at least shown the Chinese badminton team a clear, if arduous, path forward. It's a journey which hopefully ends in glory at the 2024 Paris Olympics. For the CBA's president Zhang Jun, hopes are high and he's confident in his team to fight against all the odds.

"Due to the pandemic, many international events were canceled or postponed, which greatly influenced our plans. To minimize the impact of such things, we have employed many creative methods and keep making adjustments. For example, we established a training base in Thailand," Zhang told Chinanews.com.

According to Zhang, the biggest challenge for Team China was to consecutively participate in 14 international tournaments outside China this year, which required a huge logistical effort, as well as concerns over safety and quality training facilities.

"Overall, I think we have produced a great performance this year. There are victories, setbacks and surprises, but that is all part of the charm of competitive sports," Zhang added.

"The team's ability to make adjustments, our mentality shown on and off the court and the communication among the veterans and the young players, all give me confidence en route to Paris."

Zhang believes that the shortened time gap between Tokyo and Paris Games will give the current core players of Team China, who will face small challenges brought by injuries and age, an advantage. But for the young players, the pressure is high.

"The three-year gap between the two Olympics means the time they have to grow is also shortened. And for the team, we need to focus more on the current core players who have a better chance of success in Paris," said Zhang.

"International badminton is very competitive now. There are many great players from other associations. But for us, the goal remains the same — to win all five golds in Paris."