Olympian athletes from USA who is currently competing at BWF World tour, remember that she started in badminton very young but could not play because she was younger than her peers, however her persistence allowed her to reach the highest level of badminton she has today.
“When I was 8 years old, I tagged along to my older sister’s (Rena Wang) friend’s birthday party, and it was the first time I had ever seen or heard of badminton. I was intrigued by the sport at first glance and enjoyed playing it immediately. However, since I was a bit younger than the rest, I was not so good, and they didn’t really let me play. So, when I went back home that day, I told my parents that I wanted to learn. Here I am 20 years later.”
Iris has achieved very good results in her career, in addition to competing in the Olympic Games she has won medals at Pan Am Games and Pan Am Championships, and among them are her best moments with badminton.
“There have been many magical moments in badminton, one of them was qualifying for the Rio Olympics and others have been when I was able to beat an opponent I’ve lost to multiple times in the past.”
But her badminton career hasn’t always been just joy for the good times, but also frustration for the physical and mental wear that comes with being a high-performance athlete.
“There have been several periods over the course of my badminton career where I wanted to quit, and I actually did at one point. I was so mentally and physically exhausted from traveling and competing, that playing felt like something I had to do, rather than something I wanted to do. It felt like everything was very pointless and I couldn’t see myself getting better. But, after taking a break from the sport and gaining a little more perspective, I missed the joy of simply playing badminton and learned to focus more on the process than the end result.”
Difficult times and moments of joy have shaped Iris into the athlete and person she is today. Badminton has taken her to different places, to meet many people and is a fundamental piece in her life.
“Badminton has taught me so much; it is difficult to choose just one thing. It has taught me discipline, patience, and resilience. It has given me the opportunity to travel across the world, experience different cultures, and meet so many great people. I would not be the same person without badminton.”
