I woke up in the morning knowing that I had a big day ahead of me. Today was the KPAE Annual Badminton Tournament in Milton Keynes. I got dressed in the sportiest clothes I could find in my cupboard and ran downstairs. My mother was hurriedly making breakfast, and I quickly sat down to eat.
Soon after, everyone was at the breakfast table, munching away at what would be our only meal until 1:00 PM. We left the house with rackets, shuttles, food, and other essentials for the social party afterward. On the way, we had to pick someone up and fill up enough fuel for the grueling two-hour journey.
After emerging from the Blackwall Tunnel (which separates North and South London), we were soon on the M1 with 41 miles still to go. I managed to stay awake the entire time, admiring the beautiful countryside and munching on cucumber slices!
The moment I saw the signpost saying “Welcome to Buckinghamshire,” I knew we were approaching our destination. Soon after, I spotted “Home of English Badminton.” Filled with excitement, I leaped out of the car. After two hours of being in the same position, every inch of my body ached. I stretched a bit, grabbed the rackets, and ran inside.
As I reached the entrance of the building, a mix of nervousness and excitement washed over me. Sooner or later, everyone would be here, hoping to become next year’s defending champions.
Once most competitors had arrived, we all gathered in the upstairs room. Rajiv Uncle began organizing the matches and explaining how everything would work. Some people warmed up on the free courts, but soon, the tournament was underway.
I was playing in three categories, which meant I had a lot of matches. In my second match, I got to experience the sting of defeat, as we were knocked out of the Mixed Doubles in the first round.
Matches were constantly starting and finishing. People were chatting on the sidelines, while others played for fun on unused courts. Most of my matches were in groups or clusters, so during breaks, I would go to the big viewing area to watch high-intensity matches taking place below.
As the lunch break approached, I had time to use the free courts to strategize and practice for my kids’ matches and the Parent-Child event later in the day.
By around 3:00 PM, the semi-finals had begun, with people cheering on their friends and family. My father and I had just made it to the finals of the Parent-Child event, and I had placed third in the kids’ category.
Finally, the finals had their own scheduled slots, and everyone’s attention was focused on just one match at a time. There was so much cheering and encouragement.
As the last match was announced, I suddenly heard my name on the megaphone. I tensed up immediately. Walking onto the court, I could feel 50 pairs of eyes watching me. I took a deep breath, got ready to serve, and focused solely on the game, blocking out everything around me.
After a series of intense rallies, the score reached 21-21, which meant the match would now go up to 25 points. Every shot mattered.
Finally, the winning shot was hit, and my body was flooded with relief and joy. I walked off the court, hearing congratulations from all directions.