What drew you to the sport of badminton?
“The funny thing is that I actually started with gymnastics and was part of the national selection. I chose badminton because of the speed, power and passion with which you fly across the court.”
What are you focussing on now?
“Over recent years, I have participated in quite a few international tournaments. My focus is now on next year’s Olympic Games. And then, of course, the Games in Paris too. These are the best years of my career and I want to get the most out of them. That’s why I now train twice a day, 5–6 days a week. On the court, plus strength training.”
Do you get injured playing badminton?
“Badminton is an explosive sport, which involves speed, reaction and power and an injury therefore has a huge impact. It affects you both physically and mentally. At the time it happens, you are fit and then you suddenly have to start all over again. I strained my ankle and that affected me, not only physically, but mentally too.”
How do you recover from an injury?
“As a top athlete, you have to take good care of your body. A physio supports you with exercises and, of course, you can tape muscles and joints, but a brace also always provides the correct preventative support. That’s why I now use a brace for both ankles. That gives me confidence and the freedom to give it my all.”
How important is a good recovery for you?
“A good recovery means not only from a physical point of view, but also a mental point of view. That’s because the physical recovery is a bridging period, you get a knock mentally and then you have to recover from that too. The brace definitely helps my recovery.”