"Badminton Pride" An Seyoung...A Special On-Court Meeting with Young Talents from Her Hometown

Operation of the "An Seyoung Youth Badminton Class"
Successful four-week program for elementary school students
From one-on-one lessons to career mentoring
Also a meaningful milestone in nurturing local talent

At the 'An Seyoung Youth Badminton Class Closing Ceremony', Mayor Yun Byungtae and player An Seyoung are taking a commemorative photo with elementary school students. Provided by Naju City.

An Seyoung, the badminton star known as "Naju's Daughter" who has brought glory to Korea on the global stage, had a special on-court meeting with young aspiring players from her hometown.

According to Naju City on February 14, the "An Seyoung Youth Badminton Class" was organized to celebrate her Paris Olympic gold medal and to discover and nurture local sports talent. The program was offered twice a year during the summer and winter vacations for elementary school students in the Naju area.

This winter session, hosted by the Naju City Sports Council, ran for four weeks (a total of 12 sessions) from January 19 through the day of the event, with 30 elementary school students participating.

The program consisted of systematic basic skills training and match-focused practical lessons, earning an enthusiastic response from both students and parents. In particular, during the closing ceremony, player An Seyoung provided one-on-one customized lessons for the students, offering guidance tailored to their level.

She personally checked each student's swing and footwork, advising them that "basic posture is the most important" and to "play with confidence even if you make mistakes." Through these short but intensive individual coaching sessions, the children gained confidence.

During a conversation session with parents, questions were raised about her life as an athlete, how she overcame slumps, and her training routines.

An replied that "consistency is the greatest talent, and enjoying what you do is the secret to a long-lasting career as an athlete," offering heartfelt advice. She added, "My activities in a badminton club when I was young were a major turning point in my growth as a player," and encouraged the children by saying, "I hope that one of the friends who joined us today will become a future member of the national team."

An official from the Naju City Sports Council said, "We hope this class will serve as an opportunity for students to discover new dreams and talents," adding, "We will continue to operate such programs to broaden the base of recreational sports and to discover elite athletic talent."

A Naju City official said, "We are deeply grateful to player An Seyoung, who has grown into a world-class athlete, for directly engaging with children in her hometown and sharing dreams and hope with them," and added, "We will spare no effort in supporting youth sports promotion and the development of athletic talent."

Meanwhile, Naju City plans to broaden the base of recreational sports and strengthen the foundation for nurturing local talent by expanding youth-tailored sports programs, institutionalizing intensive training during school vacations, and improving sports infrastructure.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.