Source: REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
[Saba Sports News] A badminton player from the small South American country of Suriname has gradually become known worldwide. His name is Soren Opti. According to the men’s singles world rankings in the 30th week of 2024, Soren is ranked 274th. Despite the limited badminton resources and training conditions in Suriname compared to other badminton powerhouses, Soren has made it to the international stage of the Olympics through his hard work and perseverance. Unfortunately, his Olympic journey has not been smooth, as he has encountered top badminton players in the group stage for three consecutive Olympic Games. In the 2016 Rio Olympics, at the age of 19, Soren participated in the Olympics for the first time and was placed in the same group as the top seed, Malaysian star Lee Chong Wei. In their match, Lee Chong Wei only allowed Soren to score a total of 5 points. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Soren was placed in the same group as Shi Yu Qi. Unfortunately, Soren tested positive for COVID-19 in a pre-departure test and had to withdraw from the competition due to the epidemic prevention requirements at that time. In the 2024 Paris Olympics, Soren faced Shi Yu Qi again and lost 0-2, with a total of 12 points in two games, showing great improvement compared to the Rio Olympics. Soren stated that his persistence in participating in the Olympics is to prove that even from a small country, as long as one has dreams and works hard, they can shine on the world stage.