Pain hindered Chan in quest for gold

Marcus Lum

Para-shuttler Daniel Chan Ho-yuen recalled the immense pain he felt in his abdominal region just hours before the final of the Paris Paralympics, yet persevered through his injury to secure a silver medal.

Chan said he was under considerable pressure leading up to the match as the pain began three to four hours before the final.

Initially he believed it was merely muscle strain, but it soon became clear that the situation was more serious and prompted him to seek treatment.

Enduring the pain made Chan anxious about his ability to compete, especially since he didn't want his opponent to be aware of his condition.

"I shed tears at that moment because I was afraid of letting the Hong Kong fans down," Chan said. "The many hopes of Hongkongers were riding on me."

Chan expressed his awareness that many fans would be watching the livestream at 3 am to support him, which added to his anxiety.

He said he felt fortunate to compete after receiving encouragement and massage treatment from his physical therapist.

Chan said his opponent, Daiki Kajiwara, likely noticed his condition. Kajiwara targeted Chan's weakness by hitting more shots to the back of the court, forcing him to twist his waist.

"Normally I can play fast, but that day it put more pressure on my waist," he said.

Chan did not resent his opponent's approach, saying such tactics are "just human nature."

He added that if their roles were reversed, he would have exploited his opponent's vulnerabilities as well.

"It was a strategic move and he won beautifully. I can only admire that," Chan said.

The 39 year-old announced his retirement from international competition but expressed hopes of participating in next year's National Games for Persons with Disabilities, which will be held in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau.

He looks forward to competing in Hong Kong, where he will have home advantage.

Chan also expressed his willingness to share his knowledge with anyone interested in joining the Hong Kong wheelchair badminton team.

Having previously won bronze at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics, Chan concludes his career with a silver medal in the men's singles WH2 event at the Paris Paralympics.