Frederick Zhao
Country: Australia
Place of Birth: Melbourne, Australia
Date of Birth: 27 August 2005
Specialist Event(s): Men’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles
Height: 170cm
Education: University of Melbourne
Language(s): English, Chinese
Play L or R: Right
Sporting Achievements:
- 2023 U19 Oceania’s Boys’ Doubles Champion
- 2023 World Junior Championships Round of 32
- 2023 U19 Australia National Boys’ Doubles Champion
- 2023 U19 Oceania’s Boys’ Singles Semi-Finalist
- 2022 Oceania Men’s Doubles Semi-Finalist
- Represented Australia In The 2024 Thomas Cup Qualifiers, 2023 World Juniors Team Championships and 2023 Junior Oceania Team Championships.
Ambitions:
I aspire to be ranked top 50 in the world for men’s doubles and being able to compete at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. Furthermore, I hope that through this I will be able to boost the popularity of badminton in Australia and inspire the future generation of athletes in the country.
Idols: Cristiano Ronaldo
Biography:
I was born in Australia, while both my parents are of a Chinese background. Prior to embracing badminton, I initially started off with tennis. However, I was introduced to badminton from a very young age as both my parents enjoyed playing social games each weekend. Hence, guided by familial influence, I decided to transition my focus to badminton at age 6. Since then, I am extremely fortunate to have had exceptional support and guidance from my coaches, mentors, family and friends throughout my journey, allowing me to be where I am today.
Interesting Fact:
Prior to fully dedicating myself to badminton, I actively trained and competed in soccer for both school and club, as my father used to be good at soccer. But, at the age of 12, I was faced with a difficult decision to choose which sport to pursue between soccer and badminton. Ultimately, I chose to pursue badminton wholeheartedly, which in turn meant I had to give up soccer. Nevertheless, I still very much enjoy watching and playing soccer every so often.
