Empathy, Determination Key For Seau

Selina Seau made her international debut at the VICTOR Oceania Para Badminton Championships 2020, where she was Fiji’s sole representative.

Seau will be flying the flag solo once again as she returns to the Continental Championships later this month.

There was little opportunity for her to compete in between the two tournaments following the COVID-19 pandemic, but in the time spent off court, Seau ensured her time was put to good use as she continued to volunteer with the Spinal Injury Asso­ciation in Fiji.

She is a lower leg amputee, giving her a great ability to empathise with the dif­ficulties faced by those she interacts with during her volunteering duties.

“I help those in wheelchairs to undertake the necessary daily tasks that they cannot do themselves”, Seau said.

While accompanying patients, she likes to keep spirits high by spreading the word about badminton and the benefits.

“When I am with patients, I like to tell them about my journey with badminton. Some of them have been desperate to join and two have them have joined me in training”, she said.

She did not progress out of the group stages at the 2020 Championships.

However, she is determined to bounce back this year with a determined moti­vation that saw her training throughout lockdown.

“I learnt a lot while competing in 2020 and enjoyed my time there.

“During the COVID-19 lockdown, I was busy working as my duties continued – part of the health inspections. I just made sure that I found time to practice hitting against a wall when I got home and prac­tice with my children in the garden”

Moreover, she recently benefitted from some face-to-face coaching from Oceania Coaching and Development Officer, Ian Bridge, who recently accompanied the de­velopment team to meet Fiji Badminton Association to progress a handful of pro­grammes, including Para badminton.

“I know that I need more training as and I always try to learn from my mistakes.

“I hope that I will do better in the next tournament. I’m still chasing this dream to be a winner, not a loser. I may have lost in 2020 but it will not stop me.”

The VICTOR Oceania Para Badminton Championships 2022 is at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre from July 29-31, 2022.

All matches on courts one and two can be watched on live stream, while news and results from the event will be available to view on the Badminton Oceania website and Facebook page. Viewers can join the conversation using #VOC22.

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