Enlightenment Coach Talks About Li Shifeng: Enormous Energy in a Small Body

Jayce September 6, 2024 6 0

Li Shifeng and Coach Duan Guoxiang

“In blazing weather, he mastered double Dutch rope skipping in just two days. Not only was his coordination top-notch, but the tenacity he showed is something I still remember,” said Duan Guoxiang, Li Shifeng’s enlightenment coach, as he reminisced about the little boy from 17 years ago who has now won the All England Open Badminton Championships.

On the night of March 19, Beijing time, the BWF All England Open in Birmingham, UK, concluded after six days of competition. In the final men’s singles match, Jiangxi-born, post-2000 Chinese team player Li Shifeng defeated teammate Shi Yuqi 2-0 to win the championship in his first All England appearance. This victory elevated Li Shifeng’s world ranking by three places to 11th, right behind his teammate Shi Yuqi.

It is important to note that the annual All England Open Badminton Championships is the oldest badminton tournament in history, with its championship second only to the Olympics and World Championships. Li Shifeng’s victory also marks the first time since 2018 that the Chinese team has swept the men’s singles titles at the All England Open.

After winning the championship, Li Shifeng appeared calm. In a post-match interview, he said, “I just played more relaxed.”

“Playing relaxed” stems from decades of rigorous training and a genuine passion for the sport of badminton.

Born in Nanchang in 2000, Li Shifeng had the innate energy of a “little rascal.” Unlike running and jumping, Li Shifeng was more drawn to badminton. At six, he joined an interest class near his elementary school, where his love for badminton hit him like a powerful smash.

That same summer, Li Shifeng was recommended by his interest class teacher to join the Nanchang City Sports School badminton team for formal training. “Enormous energy in a small body” was the teacher’s assessment of him.

Entering the sports school during Nanchang’s scorching summer, while most kids would prefer to stay in air-conditioned rooms eating watermelon and watching cartoons, Li Shifeng chose his beloved badminton.

“In July and August, the training hall was like a steamer, and most kids couldn’t sit still. But he was the only one who absolutely followed instructions, training shirtless if needed!” Coach Duan Guoxiang of the Nanchang City Sports School badminton team recalled, convinced back then that this “obedient” kid had potential.

Of course, for sports like badminton, hard work alone isn’t enough; natural talent also plays a role. While height isn’t strictly required, a longer reach is advantageous in matches, making it an important criterion for coaches.

“At six, he was already quite tall, likely to reach 1.8 meters,” Duan recalled. During the selection process, Li Shifeng not only had a height advantage but also performed well in running, jumping, and agility tests.

“In the blazing weather, he mastered double Dutch rope skipping in two days, demonstrating excellent coordination,” Duan said. In various physical tests, including jumping, leg strength, sit-ups, and 50-meter sprints, Li Shifeng’s performance was outstanding, particularly in leg strength and agility.

Li Shifeng’s excellent performance in these tests secured his place on the team. He didn’t let his talent lead to complacency; instead, he trained even harder, often staying until the gym closed. The intense heat did not dampen his dedication to training.

After a year of systematic training, Li Shifeng won the men’s singles title for under-nine boys at the provincial junior badminton competition. From then on, he continued to achieve excellent results every year.

In 2008, ahead of the Jiangxi Provincial Youth Badminton Championships, the eight-year-old Li Shifeng needed to improve his smashing and defensive skills. Due to his heavy school workload, he had limited time for training. To perform at his best in the competition, Li Shifeng used his weekends to seek extra training from his coach.

“He had high standards for himself and wouldn’t settle for mediocre training. He utilized every free moment to train, focusing on footwork and techniques outside of his regular academic schedule,” Duan vividly remembered this “extra training” period.

Due to his high standards and hard training, Li Shifeng progressed from the city sports school badminton team to the provincial team. By December 2012, at the age of 12, he was selected for the Bayi team, officially becoming a professional athlete.

From 2014 to 2016, Li Shifeng was selected for the Chinese national youth badminton team for three consecutive years and won the boys’ singles championship in the youth group B at the 2016 National Youth Badminton Championship (Huaibei Station).

In October of the same year, representing Bayi in the National Badminton Team Championship, Li Shifeng’s team secured ninth place in the men’s team event.

In 2018, at the Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games, Li Shifeng defeated Indian player Lakshya in the men’s singles final to win the championship, his most significant title before participating in senior national team competitions.

The Youth Olympic men’s singles championship marked Li Shifeng’s emergence as a young talent at the age of 18.

Since then, Li Shifeng has participated in senior international badminton competitions. In January 2019, he was the runner-up in the Iran Badminton International Challenge men’s singles. In July of the same year, the Chinese Badminton Association awarded him the title of National Athlete, and he subsequently won his first senior tour title at the Canadian Open Badminton Championships, defeating an Indian player.

From the 2019 Canadian Open to the recent gold medal at the All England Open, every award ceremony Li Shifeng has stepped onto has been the result of his diligent training.

Now ranked among the top players, the young Li Shifeng may represent the future of Chinese men’s singles at the Paris Olympics.