Embracing Growth: Izzat's Badminton Story

SHIMANE, 19-23 June 2023 - The 67th Chugoku Shikoku Student Badminton Championship was held at ⁠Matsue City General Gymnasium, Shimane. One of the Malaysian students, Izzat, a third-year student at Kochi University, joined the badminton tournament representing Kochi University Team B as the third single player in the Group Event. He secured a well-deserved bronze medal in this fierce competition.

The Badminton Championship is held annually and open to all Chugoku and Shikoku region university students. The tournament was an exciting experience as Izzat's team secured their spot in the semi-finals after a hard-fought victory over Hiroshima University Economics Team B in the quarterfinals. However, despite their best efforts, his team had to come to terms with defeat against Okayama University Science Team B in the semi-finals.

Undeterred, they rallied for a hard-fought third-place playoff for the bronze against Okayama University Science Team C. Their intense competition ended in a thrilling 2-2 tie. After receiving encouragement from his senior, Izzat clinched a triumphant victory for his team in the final set, winning 21-18. After securing the bronze medal for his university badminton team, he said, "It felt like a dream to bring my university team to the podium." He also mentioned receiving a lot of support and congratulations from his Japanese badminton teammates.

When questioned about the lessons learned from the tournament, he emphasized the importance of stepping out of our comfort zones and venturing into new roles. He recognizes that while it may be challenging initially, the rewards will be worth it in the long run. He also emphasized that as students, we should strive to maintain a balance between academics and sports as it will help us achieve overall well-being and development.

As a fellow Malaysian student studying in Japan, I could not be prouder of Izzat for demonstrating the talent and potential of Malaysian students in Japan. We hope that Malaysian students studying in Japan can learn from him and put their best effort into engaging in new challenges in our daily lives. Take up the Challenge, Embrace the Growth!