Source: REUTERS/Ann Wang
[Saba Sports News] Danish badminton star Mia Blichfeldt announced her transition to being an independent player after withdrawing from the Danish national team. She will self-fund her participation in badminton events, which undoubtedly deals a heavy blow to the Danish national team. Mia, Denmark’s top women’s singles player, initially did not qualify for this year’s Olympics, but the Danish Badminton Association allowed her to replace a higher-ranked player due to her superior skills. However, she was eliminated in the group stage, which surprised many. Notably, after the Olympics, Mia announced her departure from the Danish national team to join the French badminton team and train alongside her boyfriend Toma Junior Popov. Mia and Popov publicly confirmed their relationship last year; Popov comes from a badminton family with both his father and brother being renowned players. After leaving the Danish team, Mia will self-fund her participation in upcoming international events, with Popov’s father serving as her coach.