28 February, 2024
Sean Vendy has revealed the ‘champion mindset’ he has constructed up forward of the YONEX All-England Championships in Birmingham.
The subsequent few months shall be essential for Vendy and males’s doubles associate Ben Lane as they hope to safe qualification for this summer time’s Olympic Video games in Paris.
However Vendy is embracing the strain and hopes he has developed a mentality that may permit him to realize his desires.
He mentioned: “That is the large image of why we play badminton. It’s what will get you away from bed within the morning on the times if you’re not feeling it.
“To get into that champion mindset, you want a long-term aim which for us is the Olympic medal.
“Over the past 10 years, it’s all been main as much as this, all of the work we’ve put in, for this reason we do it.”
Vendy and Lane just lately gained the boys’s doubles title on the English Nationwide Championships for the third successive 12 months.
The 27-year-old believes this can assist the pair heading into the YONEX All-England Championships, once they open up in opposition to sixth seeds Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi within the first spherical.
“It’s one we need to win yearly. Nationwide champions are one thing we need to be in order that’s one other field ticked.
“We gained all 4 matches, which is one thing that we have to work on if we need to go deep into these larger tournaments as a result of, up to now, we’ve carried out for one or two matches, after which dropped off.”
However taking part in at dwelling will assist the Commonwealth Video games silver medallist, who had excessive reward for British badminton followers.
“It’s huge for us,” he mentioned.
“We had the Commonwealth Video games in Birmingham in 2022 and we in all probability did higher than we anticipated. We beat the world champions within the semi-final and having a house crowd that helped us recover from the road was huge for us.
“It actually helps carry us when occasions get powerful on the market. So it’s one thing that we actually stay up for, massive time.”
The help from British followers shall be paramount to the nationwide champion as he hopes to place collectively a run of video games which is able to seal his place in Paris.
“There’s all the time strain as a result of we need to do our greatest and it does depend in such a giant event which is just as soon as each 4 years. It’s one thing that we need to not simply qualify for, but in addition go and do our greatest in.
“It’s nothing that we haven’t handled earlier than and I wouldn’t say it’s affecting our sport. It’s simply one thing that comes with it.”
However with a help system in place, Vendy welcomes the strain heading into this tense qualification interval.
“We’re supported properly by everybody round us,” he mentioned. “We’ve been doing this high-pressure sport for eight years, so we’re type of used to it.
“However we’re additionally grateful to be able of strain, as a result of if we weren’t, then that will imply we’re not likely in for a shot on the Olympics.”
And Vendy was adamant that, ought to he achieve success in attaining his dream of successful an Olympic medal, credit score have to be given to his help community for serving to him get there.
He mentioned: “The strain is on us to get the medal as a result of we’re those standing on the court docket however behind us, there’s so many different people who it will imply the world to if we obtained a medal as properly.
“We’re doing it for ourselves however I feel to get a medal would simply be nice for associates, household and everybody round us.”
Picture through BadmintonPhoto