My Journey and Passion for Badminton
A very good morning to our honorable judges, teachers, timekeeper and all my fellow
friends. I am MUHAMMAD KHAIRUL IKHWAN BIN ANUAR from SMK Syed Hassan,
Kangar, Perlis and today, I would like to deliver my speech entitled “My Journey and
Passion for Badminton”. I have chosen to talk about this topic because I myself join this
sport.
Ladies and gentleman,
Let us start with looking at the history of the game in Malaysia. Badminton is a very
special sport in Malaysia. It is more than just a game for us; it is a part of our history and
culture.
Badminton came to Malaysia a long time ago, during the British colonial period in the
early 20th century. It quickly became popular. In 1934, the Badminton Association of
Malaysia (BAM) was created to help organize and promote the sport. This was a big
step for badminton in our country.
We have many legendaries players in this sport like Wong Peng Soon, Dato Punch
Gunalan and the Sidek brothers. My favourite player was Datuk Lee Chong Wei. He
started playing in the early 2000s and became one of the best players in the world. He
was ranked world number one for a very long time. Lee Chong Wei won many titles,
including three silver medals at the Olympics. His matches with Lin Dan from China
were always very exciting to watch.
Ladies and gentleman,
My involvement in this game started when I was seven years old when my dad
introduced me to badminton. His love for the sport made me love it too. One of my
biggest inspirations in badminton is Lin Dan. I really admire how he plays and his
strategies. They are great examples for me to learn from.
I think one of the biggest challenges when you are involved in sport is time
management. Managing my time is very important because I need to balance my
training and studies.
The best part of my badminton journey so far is reaching the third round of the state
badminton tournament in Perlis. I'm very proud of this achievement, and it keeps me
motivated to keep trying my best.
Before every match, I will make sure that I have a positive mindset and say a prayer to
Allah for guidance and strength. My playing strategy is focused on offensive techniques.
One of my favorite moves is the dropshot, which I have practiced a lot and mastered.
Ladies and gentleman,
When I face challenges or frustrations, I find it helpful to talk to someone who
understands me. This helps me release my stress, and I also channel my frustrations
into my training sessions.
In the short term, my goal is to defeat the current Perlis champion, Syed Zubair, and to
represent my state in the MSSM badminton tournament. Looking ahead, my long-term
goals are to become a successful player or even a coach. I'm very lucky to have a
dedicated coach who trains me diligently, pushing me to succeed. My parents also
support me no matter what the outcome of my matches is.
Ladies and gentleman,
Today, badminton in Malaysia is still very important. After Lee Chong Wei retired in
2019, many people wondered who would be the next star. But we have new players like
Lee Zii Jia, who won the All-England title in 2021. This clearly shows that the future is
bright for Malaysian badminton.
The Badminton Association of Malaysia is working hard to find and train new talents.
They are helping the young players to get better and better. Many young people in
Malaysia love badminton and play it in schools and clubs. The government and
businesses also support badminton by providing financial support and facilities.
Ladies and gentleman,
Badminton is a sport that brings joy and pride to Malaysia. It also unites the Malaysian.
From the early days of Wong Peng Soon and Dato Punch Gunalan to the golden era of
the Sidek brothers and the greatness of Lee Chong Wei, our history is full of wonderful
moments. As we look to the future, we believe that our young players will continue to
make us proud and keep the Malaysian flag flying high in the world of badminton.
Ladies and gentleman,
We are now nearing the closing of my speech, for anyone considering pursuing
badminton professionally, my advice is to be mentally and physically prepared. The
journey requires a lot of dedication and resilience. I would like to quote a famous saying
by Lin Dan: "Set your goals high, and don't stop till you get there." I believe, with lots of
trainings and great determination, I will be able to overcome any challenges in
becoming a world class badminton player. So, ladies and gentlemen please pray that I
will be able to achieve all my dreams and make you all proud of me in the future. With
this note, I end my speech. Thank you.
