Source:REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
[Saba Sports News] In his first major tournament as the head coach of the Chinese youth team, Chen Long led his disciples to deliver an impressive report card at the 2025 BWF World Junior Badminton Championships. The team members successively overcame all challenges in both the team event and individual events – first winning the Sudirman Cup mixed team championship, followed by three individual gold medals. Considering that this edition of the tournament was the first to adopt a new scoring system, the Chinese team’s performance can be described as perfect. Regarding the potential impact of the new scoring rules, Chen Long himself was not overly concerned but viewed it as a new test for the players. The final results also confirmed his confidence. Additionally, Chen Long stated: “When I was a player, I actually had a good grasp and understanding of wins and losses in many matches. After becoming a coach, the feeling of nervousness and pressure isn’t as intense as when I was an athlete. However, I feel less certain about the unknowns of the matches and our players’ performances. For me, as a coach, I am very passionate about badminton, and it feels quite good.”