Source: Oriental Image/Zheng Hongliang
[Saba Sports News] Japanese badminton goddess Chiharu Shida celebrated her 28th birthday during the Sudirman Cup. On April 28, she not only won the match but also received a special surprise. Last year at the Paris Olympics, Shida won the bronze medal in women’s doubles, making her a popular athlete in Japan. In March of this year, she won the first championship of the season at the All England Badminton Open with partner Nami Matsuyama. However, at the Sudirman Cup held in Xiamen, Shida did not team up with Matsuyama but instead partnered with Arisa Higashino for the competition. This new pairing performed well, easily defeating their opponents with scores of 21-15 and 21-12 twice, helping Japan secure a total score of 5-0 against France. After the game, the venue specially celebrated Shida’s birthday by playing “Happy Birthday” and displaying her photo on the big screen with the message “SHIDA’S DAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY.” Shida laughed happily. Her teammate Arisa Higashino also wrote “Happy Birthday” in Chinese on social media and shared a picture of the two.