With the Olympics approaching, we are excited to highlight several European badminton debutants. Badminton Europe wants to put them in the fan's crosshairs, so they will be just as excited as us to watch how they do on the biggest of stages.
We spoke to Polina Buhrova, women's singles player from Ukraine, Jenjira Stadelmann, women's singles player representing Switzerland, and Ondřej Král and Adam Mendrek, the men’s doubles pair from Czechia. They shared their excitement, expectations, and cherished memories as they prepare for the Olympics:
Polina Buhrova (Ukraine)
Q: It's your first Olympics! What are you looking forward to in playing the Olympics?
“I'm very excited because it's my first Olympics. I'm looking forward to playing because for sure it's going to be an amazing atmosphere. Being there with all the athletes from all the countries is already an achievement.”
Q: How do you balance the achievement of qualifying for the Olympics against producing a good result at the Olympics?
“I have no pressure. I just want to show my best on court and have fun.”
Q: Watching the Olympics from afar (as a fan) - Do you have a favorite past moment from the Olympics as a fan you would like to share?
“I still remember the final between two legends Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei in Beijing. It was amazing.”
Q: In your group, you are set to face tough competitors like Czechia’s Tereza Švábíková and Indonesia’s Gregoria Tunjung. Can you tease the fans about what they can get excited for when watching your matches?
“The matches in my group are not going to be easy but I'm going to fight as always and of course the best will win.”
Ondřej Král / Adam Mendrek (Czhechia)
Q: As you prepare for your first Olympics, what experiences are you anticipating the most?
Mendrek: “I am extremely excited about the Games. It is a celebration of sport, the absolute pinnacle that I can achieve as a badminton player. It is a fulfilled sports dream for me, one that I have wished for since the first moment I started playing. I am looking forward to representing our country in the badminton tournament, but also to other sports and the best athletes in the world. I am also looking forward to the opening ceremony itself, which I believe will be spectacular.”
Král: “I’m looking forward to playing against the best pairs in the world. The qualification period was extremely tough and now I’m looking forward to enjoying the experience and atmosphere on and off court.”
Q: How do you manage the pride of qualifying for the Olympics while aiming to achieve great results there?
Mendrek: “The qualification itself was a huge surprise for us. Actually, for everyone. It wasn’t our initial goal, and only after our greatest success (quarterfinals at the Arctic Open Super500) did we acknowledge that there might be a small chance, given the right constellation of circumstances, that one, at most two lower-ranked pairs on the world ranking could qualify. And it happened! Together with Ondra, we are the first pair in the history of Czech badminton to achieve this, and it’s something incredible! Regarding our goals for the tournament, we are realistic and aware of the competition in men’s doubles. We have done everything possible during preparation, and we will also give our best in the tournament to represent the Czechia as well as we can.”
Král: “We are now focused on playing our best game in each group match. The level of men's doubles is very high and every match is going to be a big challenge.”
Q: Reflecting on your time as a fan, can you share a memorable Olympic event that stood out to you?
Mendrek: “For me personally, there are two strongest moments that I still remember today. These are the men's singles finals at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics. Lin Dan demonstrated two different styles of play in his two different finals, which brought him gold. He is a deserved legend of our sport.”
Král: “I have always been a huge fan of the opening ceremony. It’s a nice show. I can’t wait to experience it myself.”
Q: You have been placed into a very strong group where you have only faced the Popov brothers once before, but not any of the other pairs. How do you plan to prepare for this tough group-stage ahead?
Mendrek: “As I mentioned above, it is a great honor for us to be among the top 17 pairs that qualified for the Olympic tournament. We also know that it will be very difficult for us to win the matches that await us in the group. Personally, I am very much looking forward to the match against the world champions, the Korean pair Kang/ Seo but also to the encounter with the Popov brothers, with whom we had a great, intense training camp in France.”
Král: “We will prepare a strategy with our coach for each match as usual. I feel very excited to play all the matches.”
Jenjira Stadelmann (Switzerland)
Q: Being your debut at the Olympics, what aspects of the event are you looking forward to the most?
“I am looking forward to the experience of playing on a badminton court with the Olympic sign. The Olympics is such a big event and it is certainly a dream for every athlete, and I am one of them!”
Q: How do you reconcile the accomplishment of Olympic qualification with the goal of excelling at the event?
“Being part of the Olympic Games makes me proud; nevertheless, it's important for me to deliver my best badminton. I want to win a match...or maybe two?”
Q: From your perspective as a viewer, what is a standout moment from past Olympics that you hold dear?
“When I was 13, I saw the match between Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei at the London 2012 Olympics. I saw two legends playing against each other, and it was a fantastic moment for me as a junior player.”
Q: You are facing two other strong European women in your group, Carolina Marin and Rachael Darragh.
“I am going to focus on myself, meaning that I am going to play my game. Knowing what I achieved at the European Games, I know everything is possible.”
To see the full groups of the debutants
see our full article covering the group draw CLICK HERE:
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