Ok, so this just in.....Canada is awesome! As you may know, the Olympic games are on TV's all over the world showcasing athletes from near and afar. However, this summer Olympics has been different than any other Olympics that Canada has ever participated in....We came fourth in badminton!
Now, most people would think, "Big deal Ryan, our team did not get a medal and I never even saw badminton on TV!". To all of those thinkers, prepare to be changed!
Our ladies doubles team received a call while getting ready to leave London after being eliminated during a series of tough badminton round robin matches to be told they were still in the hunt. Some of you may already know that some teams were ejected from the Olympics for cheating, giving Canada a fresh start! They played Japan, a country who is ranked 5th in the world in badminton and in the best of three games series took one game off of them, narrowly losing in the final set. Now, if this was not enough of a statement (considering Canada was ranked 26th in the world for badminton) they continued their hot streak into the bronze medal game where they lost in two sets to Russia, finishing 4th over all.
Fact is, as a nation we have never done this well in badminton on any international stage. Many skeptics and critics around the world are now believing and understanding that we can produce high calibre players such as Michele Li and Alex Bruce (Canada's ladies' doubles team) and compete with the best. Taking a game off of a 5th ranked nation in badminton is similar to Canada winning the lottery and getting struck by lightening in the same day. We fought hard and we showed the world that we have the world's best badminton athletes along with other badminton super powers such as Japan, China, Denmark & Great Britain. We have talent and now Canadians can see that this is not just a back yard sport we play after a family bbq when the wind is not blowing. This sport is real folks and we are now a serious threat to the world when we step onto the badminton courts.
I am so proud to have met and officiated Michele Li and Alex Bruces' matches at the last Canada games and I am so excited for the next summer Olympics to see what other rising badminton Canadian athletes will bring to the international table!
Ryan Fahey
B.A Human Kinetics
CPTN Canada
Canfitpro FIS, PTS
NCCP
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