Pan Am Champion and with a lot of followers in our region and all the world, Michelle Li is, these days, number 13 in World Ranking and a few years ago decided to compete at the top of the world badminton, highlighting and getting good results after much effort.
Canada’s star, Li, reached her best position in the World Ranking in 2014, after winning in various tournaments around the world, but her path in the high-level badminton has not been easy.
“I think is tough because I never had some one that guide me, so was more like me trying to do like I think and try to do something else. There are some Asia players that have a whole team with them, coach, physio therapist and more, but for us, as Pan American players, we don’t have that, we don’t have that resources. I only believe in what can I do and try to not thinking about the other team. It’s not an easy road but I think it’s not impossible.”
And despite being a difficult road, Michelle decided to take another step in her career, just as many athletes, in love with their sport, want to do it but do not always realize that dream.
“I think that was because my goals were established on the world stage. I played my Pan Am tournaments when I was a little younger, so I have that experience. After that I was able to go to the world stage and I needed to get myself to get better and play among the best players, and if I want to be one of the best, I have to do it.”
Michelle has managed to compete in the best stages of the world badminton, representing her country, our region. This year is very important for her, because starts the qualification process for a new challenge: Tokyo 2020, and she also hopes to obtain a new Pan-American medal in the next Pan Am Games Lima 2019.
“This year there will be many tournaments, and the Pan American Games are definitely a tournament I want to win. I played in Lima many times, so this time I can perform very well.”
Definitely, Michelle is an example for many athletes in our region who want to follow in their footsteps and grow in our sport. The experience that she has acquired in these years and the results that we see in each tournament allow her to give us a great advice:
“Work hard, believe in your talent, because fear can prevent you from doing many things and I know that many people get nervous before a game, but I think that your faith has to be bigger than your fear.“
