Peru’s badminton star, Ines Castillo, has seen her level of play on the rise in recent years, obtaining important results for her and her country: 4 gold medals at the 2022 Bolivarian Games, bronze medal at the Pan Am Junior Games 2021, bronze medal at the 2022 South American Games, among other achievements.
“I think my best result and one of the most exciting was the medal at the Pan Am Junior Games Cali 2021. Because I had never won a Pan American medal in singles and that was exciting for me, especially because there were continental games. The 4 gold medals in the last Bolivarian Games was a result that moved me a lot and I didn’t expect it either.”
As an athlete, Ines has clear goals for future competitions. Achieving a Pan Am medal is something that motivates her a lot and she is preparing hard to achieve it.
“I am preparing for the Pan American Games in Santiago 2023 and I have high goals for that event. One of my goals is to have a medal in the adult Pan Am Games, and one of my dreams is to qualify for the Olympic Games. For now the medal I think it would make me a little happier.”
The results recently obtained have led her to have those ambitions in the sport. But it all started when she decided to prioritize badminton over other activities, working twice as hard to fulfill each one of them.
“I think that these last few years, since I finished school (2017), I have been training more, much more seriously, I have dedicated more time to badminton and I have made it a priority over my studies. I think that all that dedication has It’s made me improve. All the time and energy invested is paying off. I’m very grateful for that and looking forward to continuing to improve.”
And it is that Ines shares her training with professional studies in design and fashion, with reading, watching series and other activities that help her distract herself when she is not training.
“I study fashion design and management. I really like my career. I also like surfing in the summer, watching series, reading, going out with my friends, finding something that can take my mind off badminton and studies when necessary. “
What Ines has achieved so far has been inspired by her family, who instilled in her the sporting life, and by her coaches, who have contributed to her level of play.
“I thank my family for always supporting me, in badminton and in other areas. I also thank my coaches because I believe it is essential to have a coach with whom you trust and I thank them very much because my growth as an athlete is also due to them. I also thank my friends who always support me since I travel a lot but I have the confidence and understanding of them since they know the pace of life I lead. I appreciate all the support that organizations such as the Peruvian federation, Badminton Pan Am, and the various people who are always pending.”
