Pictured: Thea Geil, Denmark (left) and Chen You-Chi, Chinese Taipei (right). Photo credit: @jbmedia_perth (Instagram)
Tournaments across the world have seen an influx of players chasing qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The increased participation means it’s harder for the lower-ranked players to meet the qualification criteria when the entry list is in such high demand.
This was the case for Denmark’s Thea Geil. While she may not be aiming for Olympic qualification, yet, she qualified for one of the 64 places in the Women’s Singles main draw in Perth.
“Currently I am not able to qualify for many tournaments in Europe, but I had an opportunity to train and compete in Australia which is why I decided to play in the Perth International”, says Thea.
Geil has spent the last two years as one of Denmark’s highest ranked players in the under-19 circuit, with future ambitions to become the Women’s Singles National Champion.
The high-caliber of competition at the BWF Future Series event in Perth provides a solid platform to compete against players who share similar goals.
Originally from the small town of Ry, Thea moved to Langhøj to seek a stronger badminton scene. This is where she found her way into a strong club and her current coach, .
The move brought opportunities for a more experienced coach, Jørgen Søvndal, and the opportunity to represent Langhøj on the highly competitive national circuit. Her team boasts the like of Gail Emms (Athens 2004 Olympic Games Silver medalist) and Loh Kean Yew (current current world number 28), who impart wisdom with the aspiring shuttler when training and competing together.
“[Gail] is a really experienced player and she is very helpful. She shares her knowledge on preparing for tournaments and playing games at this level”, says Thea.
After exiting the Perth International Women’s Singles draw, Geil will be making the most of her travel to the other side of the world, and shall remain in Australia to undertake a three-week coaching programme with a contact in Brisbane.
Follow all results from the Perth International 2019 on Tournament Software.
