[Saba Sports News] Back in April this year, a cute toddler from Shenzhen nicknamed Lin Huaqian went viral online with a short video challenging badminton legend Lin Dan to a match. Shortly afterward, Lin Dan replied on social media: “Looking forward to meeting you for a friendly hit. I’ve already started training for our game. It’s a date.”
On the closing day of the Lin Dan Cup Badminton Open yesterday, Lin Dan invited the little boy to the venue for an informal showdown. After eight rallies, Lin Huaqian lost the mini-contest 1-7. Lin Dan presented him with a miniature trophy of the Lin Dan Cup, encouraging him to join the tournament when he grows up, and also gifted the youngster one of his personal badminton rackets as extra motivation.
The boy’s father said after the game that his son was blessed to meet his idol in person. The toddler has been watching Lin Dan’s matches on TV since he was just over two years old and is obsessed with badminton. He constantly wants to play the sport and even strikes badminton stances without a racket in hand. He was eager to keep playing after their friendly clash and nearly shed tears when it ended.
In my opinion, this friendly contest is far from a serious competitive fixture; instead, it vividly embodies respect, encouragement and heritage at the heart of sportsmanship. Lin Dan has shown through his actions that a true champion is always willing to stoop down for a child’s innocent passion.