Name: Brian Yang
Country: Canada
Events: Singles
How did you meet badminton?
“I started when I was 8 years old. Some friends of my parents saw potential in me when I played badminton for fun. And they recommended that I dedicate myself to doing it professionally. So I started to train professionally. I saw good results at the beginning and improved very fast.”
How do you get inspired to keep going?
“I would like to be the best player. I train hard. I try to beat the players I lost with before to grow internationally.”
Which is your biggest dream?
“My biggest dream is to play Olympics representing Canada and try to get a medal.”
Which are your goals for this year?
“This year is my last Junior championship and I would like to be among the first 4. And for Seniors, Pan Am Games is coming in July, so I hope to win a medal in the Games. And in general, compete in international tournaments to achieve qualifyng for Tokyo 2020.”
What is the hardest part of being a high level athlete in Canada?
“I think the most difficult thing, for me right now, is that I have to go to school too, I have to balance between trips, playing badminton and doing well at school. It’s very difficult but I’m happy because despite everything I’m doing well.”
What is the best that badminton has given you?
“The best thing is to make friends, gain experience in different cities and with different levels of play. My dream is to get to the Olympics so all these experiences are good for me. So that’s one of the best things about badminton.”
Which do you prefer Olympic Games or World Championships?
“I prefer World Championship, because the best of the best players are playing for the title. But in Olympics, that is every 4 years, it’s a great event, but not all the best players go by the quotas per country. So I think that competing in a World Championship is more difficult than in an Olympic Games.”
Which badminton player do you admire?
“Lee Cong Wei, I like how he plays, he’s very athletic, very fast. I try to play similar to his style. He is my favorite player.”
What message would you give to young people who are just starting to practice badminton?
“I think I would tell them never to give up. Even if they lose or everything is complicated at the beginning, remember that nobody starts winning from the beginning. We all have to lose before a great victory. This is the case for all top players. Internationally, when a player loses, he is sad about that defeat but uses that defeat to gain more experience and learn how to be better.”
Photo Credit: Badminton Photo
