KUALA LUMPUR — The most painful aspect for an athlete dealing with an injury is not the injury itself, but the tough process of recovery. Sometimes, the pain intensifies when the injury signals the end of a career.
This is the harsh reality national women’s doubles player Anna Cheong is facing as she comes to terms with the fact that her serious knee injury will likely prevent her from returning to the court.
Speaking to Scoop, Anna shared that she had already prepared for life after badminton, knowing her time with the national squad was limited.
However, she still finds it difficult to accept the premature end to her playing career due to the injury.
Anna first suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in her right knee in September 2022. After surgery and rehabilitation, she attempted a comeback earlier this year, but her condition deteriorated.
“At first, I felt okay, but then I sustained another injury, and it became severe. Given my condition, I can say that I couldn’t handle the intensity during training sessions, which became an issue. I had to discuss this with all parties before making this decision.
“This injury forced me to stop playing. Although I didn’t want to quit, I had to do so on the advice of my doctor.
“I’m grateful for what I had to do. I want to thank BAM (Badminton Association of Malaysia) for taking care of me throughout my treatment for the knee injury,” said Anna, who will be leaving BAM at the end of this month.
Anna recently completed her degree in Sports Management from Universiti Malaya and holds a Level 1 coaching certification. She is now turning to coaching, helping to manage an academy in Setapak.
“It’s a small club, and I help my friend train a group of young players, around 15 to 16 in total.
“These young players have dreams of joining Akademi Badminton Malaysia and becoming national players, so I will use my experience to help them,” she added.
The 26-year-old once partnered with Teoh Mei Xing, and together, they won a bronze medal at the 2022 Asian Badminton Team Championships in Setia Alam.
Anna and Mei Xing also climbed to a career-high 17th in the world rankings and won the Syed Modi International in India in 2022, the biggest achievement of their careers. — September 19, 2024