Daren’s rebirth
Underachiever now stands proud alongside world’s biggest names
If you really have the passion, work hard on your goals and persevere, you will eventually make it. Liew Daren
STANDING on the World Championships podium on his 31st birthday was an emotional moment for independent shuttler Liew Daren.
Malaysia witnessed the re-birth of Daren – once tagged as an underachiever – in his badminton career as he stood proud alongside the big names like Japan’s Kento Momota, China’s Shi Yuqi and Chen Long during the prize presentation.
His bronze-medal winning feat, which made him only the third Malaysian medallist in the men’s singles after Wong Choong Hann and Lee Chong Wei, has been nothing but spectacular.
Daren’s superb run to the semi-finals before he was stopped by Momota was not due to sheer luck. It was achieved with sheer guts and true grit.
After claiming the unexpected bronze, the onus is now on the world No. 39 to keep the momentum going.
And a transformed Daren promised to ride on his strong showing.
He does not want to end up as a one-hit wonder again, having previously failed to build on his breakthrough victory at the French Open in 2012.
“This World Championships bronze medal will count for nothing if I don’t progress from here,” said Daren.
Believing he has a few good years left in him, Daren has listed a few major goals to accomplish that includes playing in his first Olympics at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
“Tokyo 2020 is the ultimate goal. It’s my lifelong ambition that remains unfulfilled,” said the former world No. 10.
“As for short-term goals, I hope to win a title and break into the top 20 by end of this year.
“That’s very important because I want to start playing in the top-flight World Tour tournaments on a regular basis.”
Despite his outstanding feat, Daren has no plans to rejoin the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) even if he was called up unless it was for a one-off national duty for major tournaments.
“I’m doing fine on my own right now. But if the national team need me for any international assignments, we’ll see,” said Daren, who left the BAM in 2016.
The Air-Asia sponsored Daren’s feat has raised hope for all independent shuttlers that they can make it big on their own – without having the best of facilities, lucrative incentives and the best of coaches under the national set-up.
All they need is the same fighting spirit of Daren, determination, a support team, a sponsor and an opportunity to compete.
“If you really have the passion, work hard on your goals and persevere, you will eventually make it,” said Daren.
“There is never an easy day as an independent player.
“But when life gets tough, you become more mature, stronger.
“When you do many things on your own, whether it’s on and off court, you tend to treasure the opportunities that come your way. You want your efforts to be justified and rewarded. That’s the difference being outside the national team.”
Daren, who will receive RM20,000 from the National Sports Council (NSC) for the bronze, has withdrawn from this week’s Vietnam Open to recover from his ankle injury, sustained during his quarter-final match against Kanta Tsuneyama of Japan on Friday.