Singapore shuttler Yeo Jia Min on her Paris Olympics experience

Q. What was the first thing you ate when you landed in Singapore?

Duck rice at the airport.

I’m feeling really good to be back home and be with my family.

I’ve taken a week off, then I’ve started training again, because my next competition is in less than two weeks. I’m trying my best. I first need to recover from a flu.

Q. This was your second time competing at the Olympics. Did you feel you did better compared to your debut?

Overall, the whole Olympic experience was very different, as my first Games was during the COVID-19 pandemic. This time, right from the first day, it was so crowded. There was so much more support. My family, my parents were there, and every match I could see them.

Preparation was also quite different. Going into the competition this time, I was healthy, not (affected) by injuries, so physically and mentally, I was definitely more prepared.

Q. What was most important in your preparation for the Olympics?

There were months of preparation. Leading up (to the Games), it was definitely to make sure I didn’t fall sick or get any new injuries. Sometimes I get these little bits of anxiousness to ensure that I’m in the best shape possible. Just mentally staying grounded, believing in myself, a lot of positive self-talk, and anticipation.

Q. You got to meet top world shuttlers in Paris. What did you learn from them?

Meeting with these badminton players is like every other week (for us). But at the Olympics, there are so many athletes from different sports, and they all have their own story to tell. It’s so interesting how we are all different, but there’s a little bit of similarity in terms of what we have experienced.

It’s always that spirit of the courage to come back, to believe in themselves again, and just challenging their limits. And sometimes, at the end of the day, they surpass their limits. The spirit of these athletes inspires me.

Q. Did you find a sense of community at the Olympic Village?

When I went to the gym there, I felt like, wow, there was so much noise going on and people from all sorts of sports, and they were so laser focused. There were so many countries, some that I can’t even pronounce. It felt really weird to be kind of in our own bubble of elite athletes.

Q. Do you feel pressured to maintain that elite level of badminton playing?

I give myself some pressure to always be maintaining where I’m at, and step by step, slowly I’m reaching closer to where I want to be. More than the rankings, I focus on how I perform.

Coming back from this Olympics, I’m doing all that I can to think of what I can do differently and what I can improve on … and I hope that I will continue to climb up the ranks.