Badminton Champion Tai Tzu-ying –Going for Gold in Rio, 2016／瞄準2016里約奧運 羽球好手戴資穎 享受打好每一場球賽
Badminton Champion Tai Tzu-ying –
Going for Gold in Rio, 2016
◎English translation: Peng Hsin-yi
Tai Tzu-ying has recently been getting a lot of attention in the professional badminton world. The 21-year-old has become known for is her "wacky" style by distracting her opponents and then delivering the winning blow. This has ultimately made her successful in winning rallies and is currently ranked sixth place in the Badminton World Federation Women's Singles category.
Ms Tai has been playing badminton since she was a child; it started when her father, Mr. Tai Nan-kai, brought her to the court where he played badminton as a hobby. She loved it so much; she decided she wanted to become a professional badminton player when she was only in the third grade. She even transferred to Lingjhou Elementary School for its badminton team. She also selected her junior high and high schools according to their sports programs. Since she wasn't much of an academic, she was glad her father introduced her to badminton.
Now, as a professional athlete, Ms. Tai flies around the world, playing in one tournament after another like a migrating bird; however it is what she thrives on. Every game is as important as the next and another opportunity to compete, demonstrates her skill and play better than the game before. It is her dream to compete in the 2016 Olympics. It will be her homage to Taiwan! She radiates pure determination, a personality trait that has allowed her to make steady progress in the professional realm.
Mr. Tai believes the most important principle he taught his daughter in becoming a world-class badminton player is to be fearless towards failure! When Ms. Tai started out, she would play only with adults. Although she lost all the time, it turned out to be a good thing, as it taught her not to let losing get to her. She learned the most important thing about playing was to simply enjoy it and with every game she would always get better.
Mr. Tai hopes his daughter will get the opportunity to play at the highest levels, thus broadening her perspectives. Ms. Tai attends as many international tournaments as she can. In 2006, Tai Tzu-ying was 12 years old. It was that year that her mother accompanied her to her first professional tournament in Vietnam. Although, she was beaten quickly in her first tournament, she returned to play competitively again in 2009, this time being more victorious. She has been an active player ever since. She is now able to adjust her strategy based on the reactions of her opponent and thus she is getting more attention as she advances.
Mr. Tai encourages his daughter to devote herself to her career as a professional athlete and reminds her that she won't know how far she can go if she doesn't try. Her family always shows their support and when she comes home after practice her father always makes her tea. When she competes in big tournaments, the whole family and close friends huddle in front of the television to cheer for her. In 2014, Ms. Tai brought home her first women's singles championship in the Badminton World Federation Superseries Finals. She is now working on getting qualified for the 2016 Olympic Game in Rio.
Ms. Tai said that when she turned 20, she really enjoy playing badminton. She then began focusing more on the process. Whether she wins or loses, she gives every opponent her best competition, believing that playing a good game is the most important thing. For her, happiness is when she makes a good move and the audience cheers for her.
瞄準2016里約奧運
羽球好手戴資穎 享受打好每一場球賽
◎文／侯雅婷
現年21歲的羽球選手戴資穎，目前排名世界女子羽球單打第6名。戴資穎以「怪球路」勇闖國際羽壇，擅長以假動作欺敵，待對手不察，再疾如雷電送上致命一擊。職業羽球選手的身份，讓她長年像漂鳥般征戰各國，既競技、也獻藝，不斷自我超越，只為一圓登上2016年奧運殿堂的夢想，榮耀台灣！
戴資穎自小接觸羽球全因父親戴楠凱習慣打羽球健身，總帶她到球場邊玩耍，意外地培養她對羽球運動的喜愛，小學三年級，戴資穎決定朝羽球領域發展，為此轉學至設有羽球隊的苓洲國小，國、高中時期皆就讀體育班。當被問起怎麼會在小學三年級就立定志向，想成為職業羽球選手？戴資穎坦言，自己不是讀書的料，因為父親的緣故而接觸羽球。但在這位頂尖運動員身上，散發出單純而堅定的特質，也許這是她篤定地朝職業選手之路邁進的力量。
戴家如何栽培世界級的羽球選手？戴楠凱說：「『贏』的基礎是不怕輸！」資穎自幼就和球場的叔伯阿姨打球，一開始老是輸，卻反倒能培養資穎視勝敗為兵家常事的豁達心胸，盡情地享受打一場好球，不會因為輸球而懊惱不已，不知不覺中，資穎打球的實力大增。
戴楠凱希望資穎擴展打球的高度和視野，因此有計畫地讓她朝國際發展。2006年，12歲的資穎在母親陪伴下，自費到越南參加職業賽，她還記得在第二回合就遭淘汰；2009年資穎重返國際職業比賽，自此活躍國際羽壇，資穎打球策略也能因應對手迅速調整，逐年累積豐富應戰經驗，表現越來越亮眼。
戴楠凱鼓勵資穎盡全力為自己的職業羽球生涯努力，他勉勵資穎，人不嘗試無法預知結果，全家人都是她最堅強的後盾，知道資穎愛喝茶，戴爸爸總在她練球完返家時，貼心為她砌上好茶，參加國際賽事時，全家人和親友都在電視機前為她加油。
帶著親友滿滿的祝福，資穎一路過關斬將，去(2014)年是豐收年，抱回個人生涯首座世界羽聯超級系列賽總決賽女子單打冠軍，她將持續參賽，為取得參加2016年里約奧運資格奮戰不懈。
資穎說，從20歲起，她非常享受打球這件事，她重視的是打球過程而非結果，資穎誠懇地說，只要她與對手都使出渾身解數，打一場好球，輸贏無所謂，重要的是對自己有交代，尤其在場上聽到觀眾因為她揮出一記好球而歡呼，這才是她最開心的事。