SA badminton star Catrina Tan wins three national titles to be a finalist in School Sports awards
At just 13, Catrina Tan has won three national championships this year and is well on her way to securing a spot on Australia’s Youth Olympics team in 2022.
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Rising badminton star Catrina Tan refuses to rest on her laurels.
Catrina returned from Brisbane last week after winning the under-15 girls national badminton championship.
But the 13-year-old, who trains at the Adelaide Badminton Centre at Torrensville, is determined to keep improving to secure a spot in the 2022 Youth Olympics team.
The Stirling East Year 7 student, who also claimed the under-13 girls singles and doubles national title in January, is a finalist in the primary category of this year’s School Sports Awards.
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“I feel good but I just want to improve more and try to defend my title for next year,” Catrina, of Stirling East, says.
“I’m very proud of myself for being named a (School Sports Awards) finalist.
“I just have to train hard and push myself harder to try and get there (Youth Olympics).”
Catrina is now SA’s no.1-ranked junior girl and no.27 nationally.
“My mum (YaHui) took me to the badminton Australian Open about three years ago and I got inspired there,” she says.
“I just saw people playing so well and I just wanted to be like them.
“Sometimes it can get tiring but I love badminton so much that I’ll sacrifice anything for it.”
Catrina is now preparing for next month’s Singapore International Junior Games, and has her sights set on winning.
She trains six times a week at the Adelaide Badminton Centre and although it can sometimes be hard to juggle sport with homework, Catrina believes the hard work will pay off.
Her coach, Panuga Riou, who has represented England, believes Catrina will be one of Australia’s top players in the future.
Overall winners of the School Sports Awards, co-ordinated by the School Sports SA office and backed by The Messenger, will be announced at the SA Sports Awards and Hall of Fame dinner at Adelaide Oval on Friday, November 22.