Spotlight on World Championships debutant: Eliana Owusu Afriyie
Spotlight on World Championships debutant: Eliana Owusu Afriyie
With Excellent Performances for the whole continent at the World Juniors Championships in Washington, USA, we are looking at the Team Ghana debutants who shined at the Badminton Championship in Spokane, USA.
First up is Eliana Owusu Afriyie, Tema International School, Ghana
You’ll be hard-pressed to find another athlete more excited about joining Team Ghana than Eliana Owusu Afriyie. After only making her first debut at the National Championships debut last year, the 2023 World Junior Championships will cap off a whirlwind 18 months for the Tema International School Badminton Athlete.
She competed for Ghana in the women’s double event, and although it is her first world multi-sport event, the significance is not lost on her. The steely shuttler was determined and made Ghana proud in the USA.
“Not everyone gets to do this, even some talented players,” she said.
“So when you get the opportunity, it feels extra special. When competing regularly, playing for Ghana in a multi-sport event is something you always want to strive for.”
“My experience at the world junior badminton championships has been incredible. I was able to learn new skills that I wouldn’t have found at any other place, and it motivated me to work harder and be able to play at the levels of the top athletes. My plans concerning badminton are to keep training and practising to reach my full potential and grow. It was such a privilege to play for Ghana on one of the biggest stages, and it was an experience I will remember for a long time.
“For the next few years, knowing that the African Games and the Youth Olympics were going to be held in Ghana and Senegal respectively and that I could potentially be in the team, it was an exciting goal for me to have participated in the World Championships.
“It will surely spur me on over the next couple of years. I’m so proud to be selected by the team and can’t wait to get going.”
At 15, Eliana Owusu Afriyie is one of the youngest of the ten-person badminton squad who participated in the Championships. She is a Grade 11 student at the Tema International School, Tema.
She was training at the National Badminton Training venue in Tema and the Achimota Club when she found out the news, and even though she only had to wait a few days for the announcement to go public, it was still challenging to keep it secret.
“I told some close friends at school and family, but it was nice to share it with everyone,” she explained.
I want to thank my friends, school, and family for all my support during this World Championships. The USA has a very chilly temperature; this was a big part of the Trip that I had to adjust to. When I played my first match at the 24 Courts venue, I was tense and scared, but ultimately, I did what I could do.
“My mother, coaches and brother were very excited; they have all been supportive throughout this journey with me.”
Thankfully, with a nice blend of youth and experience across the Ghana Team, she knows her squad mates are there for help and advice when required.
“We’ve got a lot of experience in the team as well that I can learn from,” she added.
“It’s nice to have that. A few of the senior players have told me to enjoy it and that I’ve got nothing to lose, so make the most of the experience and the educational scholarships that came with it. T
he atmosphere was fantastic, so I want to take that all in.
Eliana also entered the Games with absolute confidence after a breakthrough year that saw the Tema-made girl take significant steps in the senior ranks and matches. Now, she wants to become known as a considerable event player after producing some of her strongest badminton at the National Championships since last year. Nothing should be off the table if she can repeat that level of performance and training going forward.
The level-headed shuttler, a dominant force at the youth level, knew time was needed to adapt to the senior class as we advanced. But Eliana believes she is getting to grips with the adjustment.
“I think the first few years of your senior career are always a challenge,” she added. “And I’m still in that period and moment.
“You’re playing more challenging matches against more formidable, more experienced opponents, and you won’t win as often or play as regularly. That can be tough and takes some getting used to. But I just needed to keep thinking of the bigger picture.”
*ENDS***
About Ghana Badminton
We are Ghana Badminton, the Governing Body of Badminton in Ghana, formed in 1962, representing all members of the sport of Badminton. We are the national sports governing body with regulatory functions for the Olympic Sport of Badminton.
With Olympic success at the heart of our ambitions, we are investing our knowledge and expertise in rebuilding a quality future for our sport by strengthening and developing the domestic game and developing talent to achieve success on the international stage, inspiring the next generation of players and local fans and corporate community in line with the global vision of giving every child a chance to play for life by leading and inspire all stakeholders; to deliver entertainment through exciting events to drive fan experience; and to create innovative, impactful and sustainable development initiatives.
With thousands of Ghanaians playing yearly, Badminton looks forward to being the nation's favourite racket sport by 2024. We want to inspire everyone to play more, support louder and love badminton, from this generation to the next, as the world's fastest racket sport.
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