Ratchanok eyes Olympic gold, top rank
Print Edition
Celebrations have not stopped since Ratchanok Intanon became the new world champion but the Thai shuttler has already set herself the twin targets of becoming world No. 1 and winning the 2016 Olympic gold in Rio de Janeiro.
Since her arrival back from China on Sunday night, the 18-year-old has received an award from the royal family, posed for a magazine, attended a talk show and dined with her family as the southeast Asian country celebrated its first ever badminton world champion.
None of these, however, could distract the current world No. 3 from setting her sights on new goals. “I want to be No. 1 in the world within one or two years and to win the Olympic gold medal at Rio de Janeiro,” she was quoted as saying by The Nation newspaper yesterday.
Media have showered praise on the ‘historic’ achievement of May, as Ratchanok is called, and the shuttler received bouquets from the royal family to go with the “Grateful Child” shield she got at Thailand’s National Mother’s Day ceremony on Monday.
“I’m even more inspired to work harder and try to win more tournaments,” said Ratchanok, who upset Olympic champion Li Xuerui of China in the women’s singles final on Sunday.
Her immediate plan was to buy a refrigerator and a washing machine for her mother Kamphan, who works in a sweet factory. “I always taught her to be humble as she was not from a rich family like other kids. I told her to be well-behaved. She is a very well-disciplined girl. That’s why she has got to this stage,” Kamphan said.
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