Wang Xiaoli: Rebirth After Transformation

Jayce September 6, 2024 2 0

Wang Xiaoli, known for her straightforward personality, is candid and expressive in conversations, much like her playing style of old, decisive and vigorous like thunder and lightning. With the passage of time, she has learned to slow down, allowing life to take on a different hue, finding more room for herself in the world by pacing herself.

Looking Back and Looking Ahead

The interview with Wang Xiaoli began after the Victor Trial Open ended. From afternoon signings to touring the venue and participating in the trial with old friends, she was busy for over two hours. Before the interview, a staff member handed her a cup of milk tea. Wang Xiaoli thanked them and placed the milk tea on the corner of the table, untouched for the rest of the interview. Restrained and focused, her Scorpio personality’s meticulous side was fully displayed. Despite her lively nature, she admitted to carrying a “chilly aura” at times. “Now I can gradually loosen up. When I was younger, I had two extremes. If I didn’t know someone, I couldn’t relax and would shut myself off. I was very impatient back then. Now, I’m much gentler.”

For a long time, Wang Xiaoli was in a relaxed state, as if on an extended vacation, without scheduling anything, living freely. However, after the pandemic, she felt a voice inside pulling her back. Perhaps having grown up in a well-trained environment all those years, she wanted to do something, acknowledging it would be a shame to leave her life skills behind.

The year she left the team, Wang Xiaoli left hastily. After several years of recuperation, when she returned to the public eye, she still had the same short hair and the same decisive personality. “I’m not worried about being forgotten. It’s because I’m a beneficiary of badminton and hope to give back more to it.” Therefore, she entered Huazhong Agricultural University last year as a badminton teacher and started to build the Wang Xiaoli Badminton Club, opening her own badminton hall.

Compared to the hot-tempered Wang Xiaoli of the past, she now slows down more often. She says she can now accept her shortcomings and not let emotions stray. After leaving the national team, Wang Xiaoli realized the environment she grew up in was a protected state. The grievances she suffered in her youth are insignificant compared to those after entering society. It was only after venturing out that she understood how fortunate being an athlete was. However, life is about ups and downs. She said, “My character shaped my playing style, and I had to accept the consequences of my character. This is the double-edged sword of life.”

“I don’t necessarily have to cultivate world champions, as this is a difficult path to follow for a long time.” She said, “Because of badminton, I have this skill, and I’m very grateful. When I was young, I was noticed because of it and achieved some results. Now, I want to return everything it has given me.”

On her journey back, Wang Xiaoli was firm in her attitude, saying she wasn’t the kind of person who couldn’t escape the past. “I won’t be too pretentious, but playing for so many years, the emotions are obvious. Sometimes, a scene reminds me of the image of being with teammates, so there’s no need to escape.”

Regret Over the Missed “Five Rings” Dream

Pushing Wang Xiaoli to see her inner desire was her old opponent, Indonesia’s Poli, who ascended the Olympic podium nine years after the London Olympics. While she didn’t watch many matches, Wang Xiaoli couldn’t avoid paying attention to the Olympics. “I won’t regret my choices. Maybe I’m stubborn and sometimes think about leaving the team too hastily. Until I witnessed Poli win the championship, I felt a surge of regret.” Wang Xiaoli couldn’t stop herself from wondering what would have happened if she had persisted.

“In that regret, I feel a bit ashamed. Compared to them, we had such a good environment and support. But, when you see someone winning, there must be a lot of difficult times behind it. We would say in Wuhanese that we only saw the bandits eating meat, not being beaten up.” In the process of speculation, Wang Xiaoli certainly understood the persistence needed. She said, “You still have to understand yourself, learn to let go, and move forward better.

Once young and reckless, after understanding that the earth revolves around anyone, Wang Xiaoli wants to live her life. “So you have to fight for yourself to accomplish yourself.” In recent years, Wang Xiaoli has been more practical, only wanting to move slowly in that direction. “Sometimes many things are too heavy, and you can’t walk quickly.” Therefore, she spent a long time accepting those losses.

For Wang Xiaoli, the Olympics are a dream and a permanent pain in her heart. It’s hard to explain that injury to others because, apart from the principal, few people can genuinely understand the empathy. “At first, I thought about how big the grievance was for myself. I got caught up in pain that I couldn’t be with someone else. After a while, I gradually realized I could talk about them with someone else. Many people and you can talk to a problem.”