Ready for Kyiv - 2021 European Championships by Badminton Europe

EDITORIAL

Dear badminton fans and friends, You are about to witness a piece of badminton history. After some challenging months, the world of badminton is step by step returning to a more normal situation, and COVID-19 is not forcing us to cancel key events and activities, which we would like to organise. For more than a year, we have been waiting for this moment, where we can welcome the players, entourage, technical officials, volunteers and the media to the 2021 European Championships in Kyiv. The Ukrainian Badminton Federation has been working very hard for the past year and a half to make this event happen, and without a strong and committed organisation, the situation around the 2021 European Championships might have been different. I would have loved to welcome the fans to the venue in Kyiv, but given the circumstances, everybody knows it is not possible. At Badminton Europe, we know that the fans have been waiting to cheer for their fa vourite players for the last 14 months. I am glad to say, you can follow the Championships every single step of the way, on our platforms. At www.badmintoneurope.tv, you will be able to watch every single rally, from every single match, from the opening game to the champi onship point. Players from a total of 36 nations will be entering the court in Kyiv. On our social media platforms and our website, we will provide you with news, photos and interviews, for you to stay up to date with the most prestigious Championships in European badminton. Not only because of the current situation, the event in Kyiv will be special. For multiple players this event will be crucial in terms of making it to the Tokyo Olympics. Not all spots in Tokyo are yet secured, and I am looking forward to follow the intense race for the last qualification places. The best European players are here in Kyiv – some of them living legends – who continue to represent European badminton in the best possible way. It is not every day that we have defending Olympic Champions and former World Champions swinging their rackets in a European venue. This is also an opportunity for local players to shine and perform well on their home court. Furthermore, I always find it exciting to see the depth of European badminton and to witness the talents coming from all the corners of Europe competing in the same tournament – the European Championships. Enjoy the reading and enjoy a fantastic tournament!

Brian Agerbak General Secretary Badminton Europe

Imprint: Badminton Europe - Published by Badminton Europe Confederation, Brøndbytoften 14, 2605 Brøndby, Denmark.• Responsible editor: Rasmus Bech•Layout & Design: Laura Martí Diez • Journalists: Alan Raftery, Emilie Sommer, Sara González Martínez•Coverphoto: Badminton Photo •Photos: Badminton Photo & Badminton Europe

8 Written by: Alan Raftery

Ukraine, an Eastern European country with a rich histo- Ulitina was delighted when hearing the announcement ry, has a big culture of sport. In recent times, Ukraine is that Ukraine will be the host nation for the 2021 Europeno stranger to hosting major sporting events in what is an championships, saying that. Europe’s second-largest country in terms of landmass. - I am so happy that this is the first time in Ukrainian badIn 2019, they welcomed the Athletics community for the minton history we host such a big event. It is inspiring European Combined Events Team Championships in and I hope it will give a major boost in popularity to the Lutsk, and of course, hosted the UEFA European Foot- sport in our country. ball Championship in 2012, together with Poland. In 2021, after a year wait, the focus is the fastest racket Many big names who have been on top of the world sport in the world, badminton, with the European Cham- have flown into Kyiv, such as Carolina Marin and Vikpionships. tor Axelsen. Ulitina gives an insight into how this was received in Ukraine, and how it will inspire the young The first of these competitions was held in 1968, featur- generation. ing once every two years to determine the best badminton players in Europe. From 2017, the European Cham- - It was great news, and since it has been announced pionships are held annually except for the years with the I have been hearing kids talk about it during training, European Games. amateur players and even people who love badminton in general, being excited about the opportunity to see All of Europe’s top players have arrived in the capital, top players on court, and how great it will be to see such Kyiv, the sixth-most populous city in Europe, to fight for quality games right here in Ukraine. the continental crown, and also to put on a terrific show for the excited fans watching at home. Ulitina continues by becoming our tour guide for all the things fans, players and coaches can look forward to A player who the home crowd will certainly be getting when visiting Ukraine in the near future, as tourism is not behind is seven-time Ukrainian National Champion, possible at the moment. Maria Ulitina. Hailing from Dnipropetrovsk, just down the Dnipro river from Kyiv, she will be representing her - Ukraine is a really beautiful and hospitable country! country in the women’s singles. In Kyiv, we have so many nice historical places, parks, squares and of course the great Dnipro river and many Ulitina, 29, represented Ukraine in the 2016 Summer activities surrounding it. There are museums where one Olympics and successfully proceeded to the knockout can get closer to the history of the country and the city. rounds after defeating the former world number one We have amazing food and restaurants. You will be Saina Nehwal, of India and Lohaynny Vicente, of Brazil very welcome to try our national dishes. Ukrainian peoin the group stage. ple are very nice and friendly. Coming into the European Championships, Ulitina has “IT WOULD BE A MASSIVE STEP FORrecorded a semifinal at the Jamaica, Slovenia and Es- WARD FOR UKRAINIAN BADMINTON” tonia International, a quarterfinal at the Kharkiv International, White Nights and Polish Open. A big perfor- Often special occasions can inspire a special performance in players who proudly wear their countries’ comance in her homeland may be on the horizon. lours, especially on home soil. The occasion of the Rio Olympics certainly elevated the performance of Ulitina “I HAVE BEEN HEARING KIDS when qualifying from her group. As a result, she is in a TALK ABOUT IT DURING great position to speak about how her teammates can TRAINING, AMATEUR PLAYERS use this energy on the big stage.

AND EVEN PEOPLE WHO LOVE BADMINTON IN GENERAL, BEING EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE TOP PLAYERS ON COURT”

- The venue is truly great. It is difficult to express how it feels for us Ukrainian players to get to play there. It is a mix of pride and a patriotic feeling, combined with the desire to give the best for our fans and achieve great victories for our country. 9

Ukraine has not yet won a medal at the Championships, Ulitina goes into what it would mean to make history in Kyiv and feature on the podium. - It would be a massive step forward for Ukrainian badminton to get a medal, and each of us will give our absolute best, with that extra bit of determination, that comes with playing on our home soil.

“THE FOCUS IS ON MENTAL PREPARATION AS IT GIVES YOU UNBELIEVABLE POWER TO BE PLAYING AT HOME” Champions from any sport often talk about the importance of their preparation. Ulitina gives us a glimpse into the preparations of the Ukrainian national team. - At this stage, the focus is on mental preparation as it gives you unbelievable power to be playing at home, and it is something that needs to be channelled positively. Across Europe, we have many times seen that major events have the potential to be a great catalyst for the growth of that sport. Ulitina believes that Ukraine’s increased involvement in badminton and having the European Championships will have a continued positive impact on her country. - In the past few years, we got a big boost at amateur level badminton. It has become more and more popular, with lots of people coming to play and a growing number of tournaments being organised. Also, now the authorities are starting to include badminton in school and university programs. I think many people will see this sport from a very different angle and that hopefully will bring more traction and interest in the sport in our country.

“I WAS BORN AND LOVED IT SO MUCH THAT HE WISHED FOR HIS SISTER TO BECOME A CHAMPION”

As can be learnt, getting involved in badminton is now becoming increasingly easier in Ukraine, but we asked Ulitina to share how she got into the sport in her birthplace of Dnipropetrovsk.

“THE PAST FEW YEARS HAVE NOT BEEN EASY” Ulitina has five career titles so far, four in singles and one in women’s doubles. The first titles came in 2010 when still a teenager. Ulitina discusses which one stands out for her. - I think it has to be the first significant one, the Hungarian International in 2012 because it was my first major title. In recent times, the Ukrainian champion has had some positive results in 2019 and 2020, with a handful of quarter and semifinals. When asked how she feels about her performance levels right now, she responds. - The past few years have not been easy, but during the last year I was able to make some significant progress and hopefully, now I am on the right path! One individual match stands out from 2019 is the threegame battle with former India Open winner, Porntip Buranaprasertsuk of Thailand. Ulitina explains what she took from this experience. - It was my second time against her. The first was at Rio 2016, the second was very close and it gave me confidence that I can play consistently at this level.

- I have an elder brother who started to play badminton just before I was born and loved it so much that he Of course, 2021 is also an Olympic year, adding to an wished for his sister to become a champion. Also, we already big year for Ulitina. were lucky to have a sports school just beside our home. That is how I started playing when I was just under seven - This year I am trying to qualify for the Olympic Games, years old. and my major goal is to perform very well at home during the European Championships to push me further Young, budding players like Ulitina often have idols that down the road to Tokyo. they look up to that inspire them to follow in their footsteps. Ulitina shares hers. Lastly, Ulitina gives her opinion on what she would want fans and viewers to take away from Ukraine after the - At the very beginning, the big star to look up to for me Championships. was our player Vladislav Druzchenko (15-time national champion). Then there was Peter Gade, of course, - I want people to discover that Ukraine has a good I wanted to play with the same great technical level badminton culture and that we are open and happy to he had. Later, before playing my first Olympic Games welcome tourists and players to our country for tournaat Rio 2016, I started to really enjoy and follow Viktor ments in the future. I hope that the success of the EuroAxelsen’s game. My goals as an athlete always were to pean Championships will make people want to travel be the champion and represent my country at internahere more often. tional level tournaments. 11

THE ROAD TO TOKYO Written by: Alan Raftery

After a disjointed Olympic qualification period with players battling for as many points as possible, the race to Tokyo is almost over. The qualification period ends on 13 June, shortly after the continental crowns are awarded. We take a look at who can move towards securing their spot in Kyiv. (Race to Tokyo Rankings correct as of 13.04.2021)

MEN’S SINGLES

There is a Finnish fight to secure a spot in Tokyo, with Eetu Heino (WR 94) chasing Kalle Koljonen (WR 77), who currently sits in a comfortable qualification place. Only one from Finland can go, who did not have a representative in the men’s singles at the Olympics since Ville Lang in 2012. Therefore, being the one to get to Tokyo would be a great achievement for the Nordic nation. Their neighbours Russia also have a tight head-to-head battle between Vladimir Malkov (WR 70) and Sergey Sirant (WR 64). Malkov featured at Rio 2016, but this time he must keep fighting until the very end to have the honour of representing Russia another time. Hungary’s Gergely Krausz (WR 91) currently holds one of the last qualification spots along with Turkey’s Emre Lale (WR 100), but they both have a considerable European chasing pack behind them: Maxime Moreels (BEL) – WR 104, Michal Rogalski (POL) – WR 106, Milan Ludik (CZE) – WR 12, Christian Kirchmayer (SUI) – WR 123, Zvonimir Durkinjak (CRO) – WR 124.

WOMEN’S SINGLES Perhaps the closest race of them all for the right to play in Japan is the Bulgarian battle between Linda Zetchiri (WR 65) and the nine-years younger Maria Mitsova (WR 62). Zetchiri is an experienced player who flew her country’s flag in Rio, but it will go down to the wire as to whether the 2012 European bronze medallist will be able to make it to Tokyo. Martina Repiska (WR 74) of Slovakia currently holds the last qualification spot, with Hungary’s Laura Sarosi (WR 69) only just a touch ahead. Ukraine’s very own Maria Ulitina (WR 82) will be hoping to use the boost from the home court in Kyiv to slot into an Olympic qualification spot, a competition she has fond memories of from Rio 2016.

MEN’S DOUBLES

The Olympic bronze medallists Chris Langridge and Marcus Ellis (WR 22) are not completely safe, as their compatriots Sean Vendy and Ben Lane (WR 25) are looming behind. Lane and Vendy have already tasted what is it like being the number one pair when leading the way for England at the 2020 European Men’s and Women’s Team Championships and they are coming to Kyiv having won the Orleans Masters.

WOMEN’S DOUBLES The final qualification spot is currently in the hands of England’s Chloe Birch and Lauren Smith (WR 17). Lauren Smith experienced her first Olympics when playing with Heather Olver in Rio, but Chloe Birch, who is up against Kirsty Gilmour for a singles spot, is still in the hunt for her debut appearance. There is a good distance between them and the chasing pack, with Emilie Lefel/ Anne Tran (WR 29) and Linda Efler/ Isabel Herttrich (WR 30), both pairs having to deal with injuries during their qualification campaign.

MIXED DOUBLES

It has been a close tussle between the top two mixed doubles pairs in Europe in the Race to Tokyo rankings. The two English pairs know that if both are unable to enter into the top eight, only one can go to Tokyo. Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith (WR 10) are just ahead of Chris and Gabby Adcock (WR 12). The latter featured for Great Britain four years ago, and Chris Adcock played in his home London 2012 Olympics with Imogen Bankier. However, the reigning European Champions, Chris and Gabby Adcock are not in Kyiv to attempt the treble, raising big questions marks on their Olympic goal. Both Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith are almost set to feature in the doubles respectively, but it will be interesting to see whether they will be the British mixed doubles pair in Tokyo. Germany’s Mark Lamsfuss and Isabel Herttrich (WR 16) are in the final qualification spot. However, there are still pairs to seriously keep an eye on and Kyiv is the place where a lot could happen. Mathias Christiansen/ Alexandra Bøje (DEN) – WR 19, Rodion Alimov/ Alina Davletova (RUS) – WR 23, Sam Magee/ Chloe Magee (IRL) – WR 30.

Written by: Rasmus Bech

Debora Jille is a Dutch national. She plays on the BWF World Tour and European Circuit and has been playing the biggest tournaments. But only on the outside, it all looked good for the 20-year-old. In 2017 depression hit her – and it hit her hard. Sitting next to the smiling Dutch lady in the Emirates Arena in Glasgow during the Scottish Open in November 2019 everything seems normal, but like lightning from a clear sky, one single question makes the smile disappear: How are you? For most people, the question is just a polite way to start a conversation, but to Debora Jille, it is much more. The last three years have been tough for her and most people do not know. And answering was not easy. - I was not feeling well, and I had trouble being motivated. Not only for playing badminton but even living my life. Many times, I had the thought: It is not worth living anymore, but I did not do anything to hurt myself, but all in all, I could not take it anymore. The thoughts about ending it all have not been far away. Not at all, Debora Jille said. The young doubles talent was living the dream. On the outside. She was on her way to China to play one of the biggest tournaments, but then it all cracked. - I was going to the World Championships, but I did not look forward to it. I was just in my room, unhappy and sad, packing my bag because I had to. I told my coaches that I did not feel well and that I might need a break. I was in a bad place and I could not get out of it. It almost felt like I was trapped in a circle or maze, I knew I had to get out of it, but I just couldn’t find my way out. The only thing you can do then is just go with the flow and continue. It was my life, but I felt like I was not living it myself. Debora Jille went to Nanjing, China, to play the World Championships. Alongside Imke Van Der Aar, she reached the Round of 32 but the focus was not at all on badminton. - Before going to my coach, I was really scared. Not even my parents neither, my partner, or any teammate knew, and I am sure they did not know how bad it was at that point. I remember I told my coaches before the tournament, and they were very keen to keep an eye on me during the time in China, that was very comforting for me. I also have no idea how we still managed to play on quite a good level, as I was struggling a lot with my mind, sleeping properly and just everything except for playing badminton, she said. 22

“I AM IN A BETT LOOKING BACK, I KNOWING THAT ABOUT END

TER PLACE BUT IT MAKES ME SAD I WAS THINKING DING IT ALL”

Back home in the Netherlands, it was time to take a step away from the court. - My stomach was everywhere and nowhere. I put badminton as a reason for my issues because that was the easiest at that time, but looking back at it, there were, for sure, more things happening. I had trouble in school, I was living in a place with some people that were not the perfect fit for me, and I also lost two people, which I didn’t really experience before. Everything combined was just too much. I could not take it anymore. Debora Jille’s coaches took the situation very seriously and put her in contact with a psychologist. Furthermore, they encouraged her to take a break from badminton to focus on her mental issues. Two years later, Debora Jille now looks back on 18 tough months, but she also knows that she has to be aware things can easily change. - At the moment I am all right, but I would not say that I am really good. The last two months have been quite hard but now I feel a bit better. It is difficult to point out what is hard, but it is hard to get up in the morning and I am a person who gets stressed really quickly because of things that have not even happened yet, and my mind is full of these things. Adding up all these things together makes life hard sometimes. Speaking to her coaches, psychologist, family and friends, Debora Jille has now picked up the racket, and she is on the right track off court. Opening up about her mental challenges has been crucial. - I found some friends that really understand me, I would seriously have no idea where I would be if I didn’t have them. They comforted me in a good way and I feel like I cherish and value their friendship on a complete different level now, never taking it for granted anymore. I am in a better place, but looking back, it makes me sad knowing that I was thinking about ending it all. I have not told many people about that part but here it is. Travelling around Europe playing badminton on the BEC Circuit put Debora Jille in a strange position: Be who you are and get questions about your health or pretend that everything is fine. - I am quite a social person, but I am also very introvert and insecure. Joking around and making other people laugh is a perfect way to cover your own feelings. 23

If they have fun, they do not need to know how I feel. Of course, it feels good to make other people laugh, but sometimes it was also a way to protect myself. How does it feel knowing that the badminton community soon will know your story? - It is quite scary, and probably it will make me a bit nervous about how many people it will reach, but at this point, I do not mind about what people think about me. It is my story, and a lot of other people are struggling with this. It is important to talk about mental health and to open up. The people who should know, they know about me, and the rest are just people to me.

- I know that this is a challenge that will always be around and that scares me a little. I do not want to live like this for the rest of my life and that is also the reason why I am working on it. I do not see it as a problem but as a challenge, and I like challenges. I am at a point At the age of 21, Jille knows that her mental challenges where I have accepted that I am like this and that is just how it is. are not all over. They will always be a part of her. - I have always been good at advising others, but I have never been good at asking for help, because I just wanted to keep things to myself, I still have that, but it has changed a bit now. I also feel like being in high level sports makes you independent at a very young age and I developed this kind of survival mode where I just want to solve everything myself. I know I sometimes need help, and even though I’m still not that great at asking for help, it’s getting better and I’m really trying to get better at it. For some people it comes natural, but for me asking for help is really breaking a habit and breaking/changing habits can be very difficult. 24

Struggling with an injury as a badminton player is normal and every single human being has had mental challenges. Opening up about her story, Debora Jille hopes that she can inspire other people to talk about mental challenges as if it is a broken arm or twisted ankle. - If me telling my story can help just a single person to seek support, I would feel very, very happy. It is not easy to reach out, but the earlier you reach out the easier it is to gain control again. The bomb inside you will explode at some point. If this article made a difference for just one single person, it is more than enough. And I am sure it did.

Written by: Alan Raftery

In Ukraine, there were several attempts to kick start Para The Ukrainian Badminton Federation has made huge badminton. One of them was in 1995, but it did not work strides in such a short space of time and even recently out due to the limited work with people with disabilities. in October 2019, held the fifth edition of the BEC Para badminton Event. After a 20-year gap, the second attempt was made in 2015. The Head Coach of the Ukrainian National Team, During the weekend, coaches and administrators from Dmytro Zozulia, was offered to work as a badminton countries all over Europe participated in the event to coach in the Paralympic Committee, since the commit- learn more about Para badminton. tee was developing new sports that take part in the Paralympics for the first time. He goes on to explain how The coaches learned about how to coach and arrange this was the spark for the successful second attempt. practice for players with different disabilities in the best possible way. The administrators learned about Para - I went to the 2015 Para badminton World Champion- badminton in general and how to integrate Para badships in England in the city of Stoke Mandeville. For me, minton in their own countries. it was the first experience in Para badminton at a professional level. When I returned to Ukraine, I decided to Kaity Hall, BWF Course Tutor, was very happy about seriously start working in this direction. how everything fell into place. Zozulia began to assemble a team to play Para badminton and after three years in 2018, Ukraine was able to take part in their first tournament in Dubai. After that, they visited Dublin, and then to Odense in Denmark where he met with Tania Teoh, Development & High Performance Manager at Badminton Europe.

- We had a really good bunch. I am happy with how the weekend went. There was an even split between male and female coaches. The coaches all did well in the assessment, they were all good badminton coaches initially and grasped the ideas of coaching people with disabilities quickly, the tutor said.

Ukraine then took part for the first time in the European - The organisation was great, and this helped with the Championships where they won a silver medal in class smooth running of the weekend. Thanks to Badminton SL3 with Alexander Chirkov. Europe and Ukrainian Badminton Federation for organising again, she added. Since the beginning of the development of Para badminton in Ukraine, only the Championships of Ukraine and the Ukraine Cup have been held. Through which the strongest athletes in Para badminton are established and subsequently were able to take part in the selection for the 2019 World Championships in Basel.

“MY ADVICE FOR THEM IS NOT TO BE AFRAID OF STARTING”

Ukraine recently was happily able to take part in the selection for the historic first Paralympic Games in Japan - Tokyo 2020.

Oleksii Dniprov, President of the Ukrainian Badminton Federation, had this to say about the Para badminton Event:

The Ukraine national team is (SU5 Ivana Redka , SL3 - Hosting the Para badminton Event was a pleasure and Alexander Chirkov, SL3 Oksana Kozyna, SH6 Nina a great honour for Ukraine. I’m sure that this event will help with the development and popularisation of Para Kozlova), with more still fighting for qualification. badminton in Ukraine. We would definitely be happy to “WE HAD A REALLY GOOD host this event one more time.

BUNCH. I AM HAPPY WITH HOW THE WEEKEND WENT”

- For the countries that have not started Para badminton, my advice for them is not to be afraid of starting. And if needed, we are ready to share our experiences, he mentioned.

It feels like nowhere else in Europe — its architecture is equally as diverse in style as it is compelling and playfully designed. One step, art nouveau, next step, Ukrainian Baroque, turn your gaze, Soviet Modernism. This list could continue — there are over 30 unique architectural styles in the Kyiv metro area alone. As a former Soviet country, Ukraine is definitely a city to discover the architectural phenomenon of that time. The 20th century buildings are impossible to bypass, as they constitute the major venues and establishments of the Ukrainian capital.

Kyiv is one of the oldest and most important cities in Eastern Europe that had a huge impact on the area. It was founded at the beginning of the 5th century and over four centuries later it became the center of Kyivan Rus – the Federation of East Slavic tribes that is considered to be the cultural ancestor of modern Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Golden Gate is one of the city’s oldest monuments.”Zoloti Vorota” was the main gate in the 11th century fortifications of Kyiv, the capital of Kyivan Rus. It was named in imitation of the Golden Gate of Constantinople. The structure was dismantled in the Middle Ages, leaving few vestiges of its existence. In 1982, when the Ukrainian capital marked the 1.500 year anniversary of its creation, it was restored and rebuilt. Besides its ancient history, Ukraine is a young country, and Ukrainians are ready to build their own history in a European family. 32

The National Art Museum of Ukraine is an architectural gem of Kyiv, created by famous architect Vladislav Gorodetsky in 1899. In the exposition of the museum, there are more than 40.000 masterpieces of Ukrainian paintings, sculptures, and graphics from the times of Kyivan Rus to today. The crux of the museum is the largest collection of iconography in Ukraine, which opens with the 11th century rare art pieces. Kyiv’s art galleries and museums evolved far beyond the regular exhibition centres a long time ago. They are cultural platforms that promote local art, hold numerous lectures and artsy events, and attract citizens and tourists alike with their vivid diversity and creativity. These are the venues of the Ukrainian intellectuals, who will introduce you the cultural life of the country in the best way. The National Art Museum of Ukraine often holds special events, lectures and workshop series, as well as temporary expositions, which can be found in the event program of the museum.

In 2017, Kyiv was recognised as the greenest metropolis of Europe with the best Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Kyiv is a very green city, with parks, squares and gardens in every district. However, locals’ favourites are the Hryshko National Botanical Garden and Taras Shevchenko Park. Taras Shevchenko Park is a crowded place in the heart of Kyiv. It is always green and cool here – you can find somewhere to snack or ‘refuel’ with coffee, you can have a picnic or participate in free dance classes. However, the most popular pastime is playing chess. Those who love it and have free time can always ask for a game with the grandmasters, who gather in the park on weekends. Hryshko National Botanical Garden is known for its breathtaking panoramic views over Kyiv and amazing locations for picnics. But it is pretty far from the city centre. In case of little time you can visit the smaller one, Fomin Botanical Garden near the Taras Shevchenko Park.

Ukrainian food is not only very tasty, but also quite affordable. When in Kyiv, you simply can’t refrain from trying traditional Ukrainian varenyky (filled dumplings) and the legendary borshch (red beetroot soup). For a genuine Kyiv urban snack, try the perepichka (sausage in a fried bun) at Kyivska Perepichka near Teatralna metro station, and taste a magnificent cinnamon roll at Bulochnaya Yaroslavna bakery on busy Yaroslaviv Val street. 34

You can find lots of strange, funny, interesting small monuments in Kyiv. For example, the bronze monument to the nose of famous writer Nikolay Gogol is inspired by similarly named Gogol’s novel (“Nose”), but people tend to think of it like of a copy of the real Gogol’s nose. You may have the feeling that locals are always out in Kyiv. And they really are. There always seems to be something happening, especially between St. Sophia’s and St. Michael’s churches. In the warm weekend evenings, Khreschatyk is buzzing with life and is just the best place for people watching.

Written by: Alan Raftery

One of the biggest highlights of 2021 will be the debut ment during training and preparation for my opponents participation of Para badminton in the Paralympics. The who will be waiting for me at the Paralympics. sport’s inclusion is a recognition of its global growth. International Para badminton tournaments have been held since the 1990s and the first World Championships were staged in the Netherlands in 1998. More than 230 athletes representing 35 countries competed at the tenth World Championships in 2015, while the game is now played in more than 60 countries across five continents.

Polish pride

There are less than twenty thousand Paralympic medallists in the history of the games. To be part of this club would be an incredible feat and a distant dream for many. But Mróz is taking strides towards this goal and says.

In Tokyo this summer, players are divided into six classes, two wheelchair and four standing classes. One of Europe’s top stars to keep an eye on is Poland’s Bartłomiej Mróz, who plays in the SU5 category. Mróz was born without his right forearm, but he has never let this hinder him in his pursuit of greatness.

- Getting a medal at the Paralympics would be highest on my list of sporting dreams. Achieving this milestone for Poland would make me very proud, and I feel that it would have a positive impact on the growth of Para badminton in Poland. I believe that it would be held in higher regard as a professional sport.

“I have been dreaming of this, and 2021 is the year that it will come true.”

Getting to this stage has not been without its sacrifices and has, in fact, changed the Pole’s relationship with the sport. Mróz, whose surname means ‘frost’, explains how the cold hard road to Tokyo has been for him.

For all Para badminton players, this special milestone will be an unforgettable one. Mróz shares his personal feelings on this.

- The road to Tokyo has been very stressful and psychologically demanding. It has been the toughest period of my life. Before, I really played for my self-satisfaction without any pressure. But this year there is a lot of pressure and expectations, which has sapped some of my nerves and energy. However, I hope that the fruits of my labour will be seen in my performance in Tokyo.

- All my life I have wanted to be a champion and to be the best. Therefore, I always look towards the Paralympic Games, which is undoubtedly the highest level that is possible to achieve in the sport. The fact that I am able to be a part of this is already going towards fulfilling my dreams. I was very happy with this news, as I have been playing since 2005, and from that moment I have been dreaming of this, and 2021 is the year that it will come true. The penultimate qualification tournament was in Dubai, UAE last month and the Spanish International in May completes the Olympic qualification period. But the hard training up until now is just beginning. However, Mróz makes clear that he is not alone on this journey. - All together with the Polish Badminton Association (PBA), my coaching team and everyone who supports me, we plan to choose the right path in order to be in the best form. There is a great effort to structure the training around my individual needs. There is a lot of hard work going towards this, we have top support from our sponsors and backing from my town, Kędzierzyn-Koźle, where I was born. The PBA along with the Ministry of Sport help me in my journey as much as they can. So, everyone is working together to maximise my develop-

“Looking forward to having a great time at the ceremony” Mróz became the youngest player ever to win the Para badminton European Championships at 19 years old. As he has risen through the ranks, there has always been an expectation for him to achieve. However, Mróz shows that he has a unique ability to look through this and see it for what it really is, a historic celebration of sport. Speaking about the way he is approaching the games, he states. - I hope that I will be in good form and will be able to have fun. I set the bar high in my target to win an Paralympic medal, but for me I am very much looking forward to having a great time at the ceremony, taking in the special Paralympic atmosphere and being present at a huge unforgettable life event. Here we are in 2021, discussing the impending debut for Para badminton at the Paralympics, with a player 37

who has a legitimate claim to bring back a medal. But how did it all start for Mróz? - For many years I have played badminton since 2005, where I played national and international tournaments. At one such tournament in Germany, I was able to contact an old coach on the subject of Para badminton. In 2012, we embarked on our first major tournament, which was the European Championships, where I achieved the silver medal. Since this moment, I mostly focus on Para badminton, but I do not forget about badminton as I am all the time with a badminton club and compete in the Polish ‘Ekstraklasa’ league.

“I find a lot of inspiration in him” Mróz is a great ambassador of the sport in Poland. He finds time to be a Shuttle Time tutor for the promotion of grassroots Para badminton in his country. With this selflessness on his part, it is no surprise to learn that many people want to help him on his journey to the very top. When asked about who inspires him, Mróz responded. - I am inspired by the people around me, as I have some brilliant former players and Olympians beside me. Amongst others, I have former world number one in mixed doubles, Robert Mateusiak, and also Przemysław Wacha, who was a brilliant singles player and has coached me for a long period of time, so I find a lot of inspiration in him. Mróz also mentions a project dear to him that has helped propel him forward towards Tokyo. - I have many talented and intelligent players around me. I can place into this group current player Michał Rogalski, who together with me, is working to build the two-person project called ‘Tokyo Dream’, which has the aim to qualify both of us to the Tokyo Olympics through training together, inspiring and supporting one another, which continues to this day.

“I have some good wins and even some ‘good’ losses”

- When standing on court in Tokyo, you will, of course, have in the back of your mind the people that have been a part of all the hard work to get you there, but you will also hold the key memories of winning moments. These will remind you that you can and have done it before, so you can do it again. Remembering some of these moments, Mróz says.

- I have been lucky enough to have many great moments in my career. I have some good wins and even some ‘good’ losses which I remember very well. Of course, a key milestone for me was in 2018 when I won my first gold medal at the European Championships in singles. Also, two bronze medals in 2017 and 2019 were also important ones. - I also remember some of my earlier years from 2013 to 2017, where I played singles and doubles with Turkish player, Ilker Tuzcu, where we won many good tournaments. On the world stage, there were not many pairs who could stand in our way, so I have warm memories of this time. This positivity and appreciation of the long grueling journey he has come on is likely to put Mróz in a great position to impress on the big stage. At the same time, demonstrating what an exhilarating sport Para badminton is to the world. 39

Written by: Emilie Sommer

They have both left their homes to chase the big dream: Anna Mikhalkova and Artem Pochtarov are Ukrainian badminton players who live and practice at the Centre of Excellence in Holbæk, Denmark. Artem Pochtarov was born 24 July 1993, in a small city called Lysychansk on the eastern side of Ukraine. At the age of seven, he began to play badminton. - I went to a sports school because of my brother. He was already playing, and as my family was working, they had no time to take me. He picked me up from kindergarten and took me to his practice and after one practice I started to play. Pochtarov came to the Centre of Excellence in 2019, where he got the opportunity to practice with a lot of other singles players from Europe, Africa, Pan-America and Asia. He is Ukraine’s best men’s singles player and currently ranked as number 93 in the world. Artem Pochtarov is no longer training at the CoE, but we hope to welcome him back soon.

“What could be better!” At the Centre of Excellence, the players have their own rooms where they live. The players can use the facilities at the centre when they want. Anna Mikhalkova was born on the 13 March 1997 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. She began playing badminton at the age of 10 in her hometown and she is happy to get the chance to relocate to Denmark to play badminton on fulltime. - I like the Centre of Excellence and there are many reasons why. The environment is very good as all players have the same goal: to be better. The coaches are very kind and at the same time, they do not give chances to rest while you are on court. Lastly, the facilities are at the top level! The courts, the pool, sauna and so on are very good. What could be better! - People here are nice and we can have fun. It is also a good chance to meet new people and to learn something new from them. Personally, I like to learn new things, so it is nice for me.

Arrived in 2019 Mikhalkova came to the Centre of Excellence in October 2019 to practice with the players for two weeks. Then in November she came back and is now a permanent player at the centre. - I realised that this is the best place for me now if I want to improve. I am so happy that I have got the support behind the decision from the Ukrainian Badminton Association. - By moving to the Centre of Excellence, it has definitely helped me a lot in my badminton career. I have got a lot of support and belief from the CoE. I really like the attitude and focus on badminton here, so I have seen a whole new perspective for my badminton future. Mikhalkova is ranked as number 220 in women’s singles and number 329 with Yevgeniya Paksyutova in women’s doubles on the World Ranking. 43

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