Source: REUTERS/IVAN ALVARADO
[Saba Sports News] The 2024 Australian Badminton Open will take place in Sydney from June 11th to 16th. The draws for the five individual events have already been released. In the mixed doubles, Australia’s Gronya Somerville and Edward Lau will face China’s Guo Xin Wa and Chen Fang Hui in the first round. This match has gained attention from the media and fans due to Kang Rongya’s special status. Kang Rongya is the great-great-grand daughter of Kang Youwei, a representative of the reformists in the Qing Dynasty in China. She belongs to the lineage of Kang Youwei’s eldest daughter, Kang Tongwei. Kang Rongya started playing badminton at the age of 12 in 2008. She was selected by the Australian Badminton Association from a pool of 200 girls aged 10 to 13 in Melbourne schools. Kang Rongya demonstrated exceptional talent and dedication and was subsequently chosen for the Australian national team. This post-95s athlete has extensive competition experience, having represented Australia at the Tokyo Olympics and participating in the Uber Cup in April this year. However, her performance in the Paris Olympic cycle was not satisfactory, as she ended with a record of 2 wins and 13 losses in 15 matches and was ultimately not selected for the Paris Olympics team. Kang Rongya is highly popular among fans, as she shares her insights, experiences, and moments of competition and training on social platforms.