Petaling Jaya, September 28, 2024 – The Europe Today: Young Malaysian badminton player Dania Sofea Zaidi is poised to make her mark on the international stage as she prepares to compete in her first World Junior Championships, which kicks off on Monday in Nanchang, China. Inspired by South Korea’s women’s singles star An Se-young, Dania is determined to channel her idol’s unwavering spirit throughout the tournament.
“I’ve always looked up to Se-young ever since she made her breakthrough in the world stage,” said Dania. “Not only do I admire her skills, but I also love her spirit and will to win even when she is carrying an injury. Mentally, she is so strong, and I hope to follow in her footsteps one day. For now, I’m excited to compete in the World Juniors for the first time and I want to go all out to win a medal.”
Hailing from Johor, Dania began her badminton journey at the age of five, introduced to the sport by her father, Zaidi Mohamad, who initially felt that sepak takraw was not suitable for a girl. “I grew interested in the sport and joined the Johor state association before I was selected by the Bukit Jalil Sports School this year,” she explained.
Known for her versatility, Dania competes in singles, girls’ doubles, and mixed doubles events. She recently finished as the runner-up in the Under-18 National Championships with her partner, Sabahan Datu Anif Isaac, in mixed doubles, securing a spot in the Asian Junior Championships in Yogyakarta, where they reached the quarter-finals after defeating Thailand’s top seeds.
Dania also made headlines in girls’ doubles, teaming up with Low Zi Yu to win gold for Johor at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) held in Sarawak last month. “I feel I can adapt well when I’m asked to play in different events,” Dania remarked. “Our partnership with Anif is getting better. We gained confidence after our performance in our first Asian Junior meet.”
With the World Junior Championships on the horizon, Dania expressed her determination to give her best performance. “BAM then called us for a selection trial for the world junior meet and we were picked for the tournament. We want to give our very best,” she added, embodying the spirit of perseverance she admires in her role model, An Se-young.
