BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua) -- After being inducted into the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Hall of Fame on Friday, China's doubles player Zhao Yunlei said she would turn her attention to youth sports.
The doubles legend stated that being inducted into the Hall of Fame was the biggest affirmation of her athletic career and that it signaled the beginning of a new phase of her involvement in sports promotion.
Zhao won multiple tournaments during her career, most notably in mixed doubles with Zhang Nan and women's doubles with Tian Qing. She is the only player to win a double at the same Olympics (London 2012) and two consecutive World Championships (Copenhagen 2014, Jarkada 2015).
Zhao said she thinks that communication abilities are crucial for doubles players. "I've played with a lot of great athletes, and they have different personalities, but when facing some opponents, especially tough ones, the most important thing is to communicate and let your peers know what you're thinking," she said.
Zhao has been working on youth sports since her retirement, having recently participated in youth sports-related activities on Youth Day and Children's Day.
Discussing youth sports, Zhao again stressed the importance of communication. "I hope to expand the participation of badminton among young people, and hope they can have more opportunities to communicate with professional players."
"At present, there is still a gap between sports venues and facilities in remote areas and cities. I hope to help more children in remote areas in the future, including some left-behind children, and promote badminton to them."
"Chinese badminton needs more guides to help teenagers develop a strong will, a strong sense of responsibility, and better pass the Olympic spirit and sportsmanship to the next generation. No matter how my status changes, I will always be committed to the development and promotion of badminton," Zhao said. ■
