A moving depiction of Olympic fervour. Even with a year’s delay, the Olympic Games never fail to disappoint with new twists and turns.
K. Cordón Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
No one at the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza badminton tournament was anticipating that the No. 59 shuttler in the world, hailing from Guatemala, would advance to the semi-finals.
For Kevin Cordon, his country, and all of Latin America, he has set a new standard by competing in four Olympic Games.
The 34-year-old has won the Pan American Games gold medal twice, but his greatest Olympic performance to date was a 16th-place showing at London 2012. He was injured before his first match in Rio in 2016.
Still, Cordon never considered giving up on his goal of competing at the Olympics, and his hard work and determination have paid off.
He remarked, “Badminton is not an easy sport to play in Latin America, with all these people and players.” Training for all of these tournaments is really challenging for us, and it’s clear that a direct comparison with any country in Europe or Asia is unfair.
He endured inconceivable challenges, but his love of badminton and commitment to his heart kept him moving.
He shockingly advanced to the semifinals on Saturday by defeating 26-year-old Heo Kwang-hee of South Korea in straight sets in a mere 42 minutes. In the preliminary round, Heo, rated No. 38 in the world, had defeated Kento Momota, the top seed and home favourite.
Cordon Grinned, “Can you Believe that I’m in a Semifinal Right now?
Is this amazing?” “I’m still a kid. I’m playing like a kid having fun and trying to do my best. That kind of improvement comes from years of dedicated professional badminton training, I think it’s fair to say.
The Enjoyment of Badminton Itself is of Paramount Importance to the Seasoned Shuttler.
He commented, “Right now, I’m not thinking about the medal or anything. If you consider that you are so close to achieving a medal, you feel anxious and you cannot play with fun.” after he advanced to the semifinals.
All of these wonderful things will start to happen in your life when you train with your heart and your patience, he promised.
Cordon Discovered Badminton by Accident when he was 11 Years Old.
“Initially, I too aspired to be a football player, and then badminton just came into my life,” he remarked.
He thought that if he specialised in badminton, he would be able to advance in his career. A year later, at the tender age of 12, Cordon uprooted from his rural Guatemalan home in search of a more promising education.
“OK, if you want to be a badminton player and make your goal come true, move to the capital city,” he explained to the interviewer, “my parents did not know anything about badminton.”
The final word, though, came from my Mother, who replied, “OK, then go, but be Careful: No booze, no Drugs.”
Cordon lost in the semifinals of the Olympics to Viktor Axelsen, but he made history by becoming the first badminton player from Latin America to make it to the last four.
Cordon explained his desire to succeed at badminton by saying, “I play badminton and I want to win because I want it, because I like it, because I love it.” Every game is the championship game for me.
Cordon, in parting with Tokyo 2020, vowed to continue looking ahead. His unwavering dedication to the sport of badminton and his drive to improve have provided a moving illustration of what it means to embody the Olympic spirit.
