# ‘I will be happy with a medal of any colour at the Rio Olympics’ – Ratchanok
# ‘I want to buy a house for my family after the Olympics’ – RatchanokĀ
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By Rizal Abdullah
It has been a remarkable journey for Thai badminton queen Ratchanok Intanon who has taken the sport to new heights in her country.
The 21-year-old has gone into badminton’s history annals as a three-time world junior champion from 2009 to 2011 and wrote badminton history when she won her first in Alor Setar, Kedah when as 14-year-old became the youngest world junior champion.
As an 18-year-old, Ratchanok created badminton history again when she became the youngest world champion in Guangzhou, China in 2013 at senior level. She also became the youngest ever finalists at the All-England the same year.
The year 2016 is the Olympic year and Ratchanok is chasing her own dreams – an Olympic medal of any colour at the Rio Olympics in August. Next is to buy a house for her family in Bangkok.
“I reached the quarter-finals in London in 2012. That was disappointing. Now I have set my sights on a medal in Rio, a medal of any colour will do,” said Ratchanok before her final against Taiwan’s Tai Tze Ying in the women’s final in the Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open at the Malawati Stadium in Shah Alam on Sunday.
It is her second straight final in two weeks after winning the India Open SuperSeries in New Delhi.
“After the Rio Olympics I have another important mission and that is to buy a house for my family. It is a top priority for me. Due to my hectic schedule I have postponed it many times.
“I have decided that nothing will stop me from my commitment to my family. My family has been my inspiration and they have sacrificed a lot for what I am today.”
And it is because of Ratchanok, the sport has become a “trend among the young” who take up badminton seriously.
Defeating former world champion and world No 1 Wang Yihan 21-11, 21-19 in the semi-finals on Saturday in the Malaysia Open will be etched in Ratchanok’s mind for the rest of her life as it was her first in 13 meetings.Ā
Ratchanok is currently ranked No 4 in the world and No 7 in the race to Olympics. After the Malaysia Open the Thai lass will head to Singapore for the Singapore Open next week.
This will be followed by the Asia Championships in Wuhan, China from April 26 to May 1.
