Melbourne: After completing a 10-week English course in Melbourne, Australia, Chen Yufei has proven she is capable of being a good student in addition to being a successful badminton player.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympic women’s singles gold medalist has been on a break from the sport since the Paris Olympics in August. During this time, the 26-year-old took the opportunity to study abroad, enrolling in an English learning program in Melbourne, Australia.
After the Paris Olympics, Chen, who was unable to defend her title in the Paris Olympics after an unexpected quarterfinal loss to teammate He Bingjiao, felt it was time to take a break from the sport and reflect on her next steps.
Studying abroad offered Chen an opportunity to recharge and gave her a better idea about her future plans as she is planning to return to competition.
“My 10-week study abroad journey has come to an end. I’m deeply grateful to everyone I met during this time,” Chen wrote on social media in both Chinese and English. “Thank you for showing me that there are people who recognize and support me even if I am not playing badminton.”
Reflecting on her post-Olympic struggles, she shared, “After Paris, I didn’t want to return to the court because I believed that without ambition, I didn’t belong there.”
“For two Olympic cycles, I quietly did what others expected of me, I was trying to fulfill my duties to make my country proud,” she added. “But I didn’t ask myself, as Chen Yufei, why am I doing on the badminton court?”
Chen credited her time abroad for helping her rediscover her sense of purpose. “Studying abroad allowed me to reflect on these questions. By taking a step back, I found a way to move forward. So, let’s meet again on the court next time,” she concluded.
Currently ranked World No. 2, Chen Yufei has not announced when she will return to international competition, but many expect she will need to take additional time off to get herself ready for the comeback.
