Nguyễn Thùy Linh is expected to compete at the Paris Olympics 2024. — Photo thanhnien.vn

Badminton

HÀ NỘI — Nguyễn Thùy Linh, the top female badminton player from Việt Nam, is expected to secure a spot at the Paris Olympics 2024.

According to the Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings, Linh currently holds the 20th position, marking the highest rank she has achieved in her career so far.

With her recent accomplishments, Linh has a high likelihood of participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics. In the Race to Paris rankings, which is used by the BWF to determine qualification for the Olympics, she is ranked 14th with 44,900 points.

The badminton singles event at the 2024 Paris Olympics consists of 38 spots for both men and women. Each gender is allocated one spot for the host country, along with two wild cards. The remaining 35 spots are determined based on the players' rankings on the Paris rankings.

The Paris rankings are open from May 1, 2023, and conclude on April 28, 2024. The official announcement of the players who have secured Olympic berths will be made on April 30, 2024, based on this ranking.

In 2023, Linh has been in exceptional form and has achieved significant success. She consecutively won the Việt Nam International Challenge 2023 and Việt Nam Open 2023 tournaments, secured the second position at the Thailand International Challenge 2023, and attained fifth place at the China Masters 2023, Arctic Open 2023, US Open 2023, and Canadian Open 2023. Additionally, she broke into the top 20 rankings of the strongest female badminton players in the world.

The BWF previously praised Linh for her outstanding victory over Spain's Carolina Marin, who was ranked fifth in the world, at the China Masters last month. Marin is a three-time world champion (2014, 2015, 2018) and won the Olympic gold medal in 2016.

Reflecting on her remarkable journey at the China Masters 2023, Linh expressed her gratitude, adding: "A year has passed with many emotions, and I am thankful to everyone for their constant encouragement, support, and love. I consider myself fortunate because I always have many people watching over me, and I never feel lonely in any tournament."

Linh's next competition is the Malaysia Open, scheduled to take place from January 9 to 14, 2024. This tournament, part of the World Tour Super 1,000 system, is expected to attract the participation of numerous top players from around the world.

Linh was born in Phú Thọ Province and showcased her badminton talent at a young age when her grandfather took her to play at the local cultural house. Subsequently, she moved to Hà Nội to pursue professional training and embarked on the path of becoming a professional athlete.

In 2012, at the age of 15, Linh clinched her first gold medal at the national youth badminton tournament, instantly becoming a sensation at the national level. Three years later, she joined the Vietnamese team as a national player and participated in the 28th SEA Games held in Singapore.

Linh experienced a breakthrough in 2016 when she finished as the runner-up at the Bangladesh International Championship, trailing behind her senior teammate Vũ Thị Trang. That same year, she entered the top 100 rankings of the world's strongest players for the first time.

2018 marked a significant turning point for Linh as she surpassed Trang to become the No 1 badminton player in Việt Nam.

If Linh qualifies and participates in the Paris 2024 Olympics, it will mark the second time Linh represents Việt Nam at the Olympic Games. She previously competed in the Tokyo Olympics, making her debut in the prestigious event. — VNS