Forward of the Commonwealth Video games in Birmingham, we’re looking on the Crew England debutants hoping to shine on the badminton court docket on the NEC.
First up is Freya Patel-Redfearn.
You’ll be onerous pressed to seek out one other athlete extra enthusiastic about becoming a member of Crew England than Freya Patel-Redfearn.
After solely making her BWF Tour debut final 12 months, the 2022 Commonwealth Video games will cap off a whirlwind 18 months for the Londoner.
She’s going to compete for England each within the ladies’s singles and staff occasion, and though it’s her first multi-sport occasion, the importance is just not misplaced on her.
The steely shuttler has an actual willpower to make her nation proud in Birmingham.
“Not everybody will get to do that, even some actually gifted gamers,” she mentioned.
“So if you get the chance it feels further particular. If you find yourself competing repeatedly, taking part in for England in a multi-sport occasion is one thing you at all times need to try for.
“For the previous few years, figuring out that the Video games had been going to be held in Birmingham and that I might doubtlessly be within the staff, it was a very thrilling objective for me to have.
“It has spurred me on during the last couple of years for positive.
“I’m simply so proud to get chosen by the staff and might’t wait to get going.”
At 21, Patel-Redfearn is the youngest of the nine-person badminton squad who shall be donning the Crew England purple this summer time.
She was coaching on the Nationwide Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes when she came upon the information, and though she solely needed to wait a number of days for the announcement to go public, it was nonetheless troublesome to maintain it secret.
“I advised some shut family and friends but it surely was good to share it with everybody,” she defined.
“My mother and father had been very excited and my brothers, who’ve all been actually supportive all through this journey with me.”
She would be the child of the staff, however Patel-Redfearn does have main championship expertise from the 2021 Europeans in Kyiv the place she made it by to the third spherical and gave third seed Yvonne Li an enormous scare earlier than finally exiting.
Nonetheless, taking to court docket in Birmingham in entrance of a house crowd shall be not like something she has beforehand skilled.
Fortunately, with a pleasant mix of youth and expertise throughout the English shuttlers, she is aware of her squad mates are there for assist and recommendation when required.
“We’ve received lots of expertise within the staff as properly that I can be taught from,” she added.
“It’s good to have that. Just a few of the senior gamers have advised me simply to get pleasure from it and that I’ve received nothing to lose so benefit from the expertise.
“It’ll be such an incredible environment so I actually need to take that each one in.
“I’ve received some prolonged household heading over there for a number of days so I need to be certain I spot them within the crowd.”
Patel-Redfearn may even be going into the Video games with actual confidence on the again of a breakthrough 12 months that noticed the West Londoner take some large steps within the senior ranks.
Now she desires to turn into referred to as a significant occasion participant after producing a few of her strongest badminton on the European Championships final 12 months.
Though she is aware of the combined staff occasion shall be tough with England drawn in the identical group as Singapore, Patel-Redfearn is eager to contribute because the staff appears to be like to enhance on the bronze gained within the Gold Coast 4 years in the past.
She added: “The Europeans (in 2021) was an enormous second for me and I’ve been a part of some staff occasions for England which I believe shall be a very necessary expertise forward of Birmingham.
“Within the European combined staff I’ve had a few of my greatest performances, so hopefully that continues this summer time. That’s one thing I’m eager to take into the Commonwealths.
“I do know Singapore shall be powerful, however I’m undoubtedly aiming to provide a few of my greatest performances and imagine I can contribute with wins.
“Reaching the semi-final in Wales (on the Welsh Worldwide) final 12 months was one other large second, I took lots of confidence from that.”
That was the second the teen actually confirmed her potential on the worldwide stage, knocking out third seed Yaëlle Hoyaux of France on her solution to the final 4.
Welcome to the staff!
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If she will be able to repeat that stage of efficiency going ahead, nothing needs to be off the desk
A dominant drive at youth stage, the level-headed shuttler knew time was wanted to adapt to the senior stage.
However Patel-Redfearn believes she is attending to grips with the adjustment.
“I believe the primary few years of your senior profession, are at all times a problem,” she added. “And I’m nonetheless in that interval.
“You’re taking part in harder matches towards harder, extra skilled opponents and also you merely gained’t be successful as usually or taking part in as repeatedly.
“That may be powerful and takes some getting used to. However I simply wanted to maintain pondering of the larger image.
“Having a objective just like the Commonwealth Video games has actually spurred me on, you’ve simply received to be robust.”
