Selina Seau made her international debut at the VICTOR Oceania Para Badminton Championships 2020, where she was Fiji’s sole representative. She will be flying the flag solo once again as she returns to the Continental Championships later this month.
There was little opportunity for her to compete in between the two tournaments following the COVID-19 pandemic, but in the time spent off court, Selina ensured her time was put to good use as she continued to volunteer with the Spinal Injury Association in Fiji.
Selina is a lower leg amputee, giving her a great ability to empathize with the difficulties faced by those she interacts with during her volunteering duties.
“I help those in wheelchairs to undertake the necessary daily tasks that they cannot do themselves”, says Selina.
While accompanying patients, she likes to keep spirits high by spreading the word about badminton and the benefits.
“When I am with patients, I like to tell them about my journey with badminton. Some of them have been desperate to join and two have them have joined me in training”, says Selina.
Selina did not progress out of the group stages at the 2020 Championships. However, she is determined to bounce back this year with a determined motivation that saw her training throughout lockdown.
“I learnt a lot while competing in 2020 and enjoyed my time there. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I was still busy working as my duties continued – part of the health inspections. I just made sure that I found time to practice hitting against a wall when I got home and practice with my children in the garden”
Moreover, she recently benefitted from some face-to-face coaching from our Coaching and Development Officer, Ian Bridge, who recently accompanied the development team to meet Fiji Badminton Association to progress a handful of programmes, including Para badminton.
“I know that I need more training as and I always try to learn from my mistakes. I hope that I will do better in the next tournament. I’m still chasing this dream to be a winner, not a loser. I may have lost in 2020 but it does not stop me”
The VICTOR Oceania Para Badminton Championships 2022 will take place at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre from 29-31 July 2022.
All matches on courts one and two will be available to watch on the live stream, while news and results from the event will be available to view on our website and Facebook page. Join the conversation using #VOC22
