Meet Malta’s Olympian: Badminton Pioneer Matthew Abela Is Ready To Step On Court In Tokyo
Only two people have officially been confirmed to represent Malta at this year’s Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, and Matthew Abela is one of them.
For the first time ever, Malta will send an athlete up to the Olympics to represent the country in badminton, making Matthew a pioneer in his sport.
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That alone is enough to add to the mounting pressure of having to shoulder an entire nation through the most competitive sporting event on the biggest sporting stage known to mankind.
Thankfully, Matthew is embracing the challenge ahead with the same level-headedness and grace as a champion badminton player on the court.
“I try to stay calm and take it day-by-day,” Matthew told Lovin Malta. “Yes, it’s a lot of pressure but I’m honoured and proud to be representing my country at the Olympics.”
Matthew was selected for the Olympics via the IOC Tripartite Commission, which offers local Olympic committees the opportunity to select athletes to participate despite not managing to qualify in the first place.
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It’s Malta’s wild card into the prestigious Games in Tokyo and Matthew knows far too well the competition he is coming up against.
“Even though I have a lot of self-belief, I need to be realistic,” he continued. “It is extremely difficult to get a medal at the Olympics and a very small number of people get the chance to go on the podium.”
For Matthew, participating in the Olympics is a feat in itself and helps generate interest around the under-appreciated sport locally. However, the young athlete has far greater ambitions than just showing up at the courts in Tokyo.
“My goal is to win a match depending on the draw,” he said. “If I manage to do that, it will be a huge achievement.”
Matthew has a high mountain to climb in order to leave his mark on the badminton world, but the Maltese athlete is committed to making sacrifices and grinding daily in order to pursue his dreams.
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After completing a two-week training camp in Denmark, Matthew hopped on a plane and headed to Lithuania where he’s currently competing. Once that’s over, he’ll make his way back home where he’ll continue his work at an international training camp before heading to Denmark for two final weeks of preparation before the Olympic Games.
“After this tournament, I will continue to work on my physical aspect and also work closely with my strength and conditioning coach to get my body in top shape. After that I will keep on maintaining my shape and focus more on speed and matches,” he explained.
And as if the odds aren’t against him already, Matthew suffered a major setback when he tested positive for COVID-19.
“It was tough, doing home workouts and being very limited on badminton sessions,” he said about the lockdown period. “After I tested positive, I struggled to get back to my previous physical condition.”
The men’s singles national champion will join indoor pistol shooter Eleanor Bezzina as the two athletes who will represent Malta at the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo this year. It’s an unlikely combination of sports, both of which are fairly unknown and under-appreciated in local sporting spheres.
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“Badminton is a very small sport in Malta and people aren’t that much aware of it or what the sport is and that breaks my heart because it’s such a great game,” Matthew said.
“The badminton community in Malta put a lot of voluntary work hours in this sport and I’m happy to see that things are moving in the right direction. However, I think there needs to be more awareness and promotion, starting from schools and clubs, to social media platforms. In order to reach more people, we need more funding and our own place to practice,” he said.
Mata doesn’t even have its own badminton hall, meaning practice sessions are limited for the few athletes who practice sport.
However, this second-class attitude towards sports is endemic in Maltese society and is the reason why Malta doesn’t send more athletes to the Olympic Games.
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“Personally, I feel there should be more respect and more help to athletes. It’s a tough industry, most of us don’t get paid and we do it because we have goals and a passion for our sport and what we do,” Matthew continued.
“The National School of Sport is an example of a big success in my opinion. The fact that you have students practicing their sport during the school schedule, you can now see how successful it has been with people like Haley Bugeja.”
Like many who have spoken before him, Matthew believes the key to an athlete’s success and longevity is the willingness to take a risk and export their talents in a foreign culture where they are encouraged and allowed to grow.
“I also believe that for Maltese athletes to be successful after a certain age they have to train abroad since the current situation in Malta does not permit it,” he ended.
While Abela has his spots secured at this year’s Olympic Games, many other Maltese athletes are still hoping to join the contingent by obtaining the necessary qualification times.
One such athlete is 15-year-old swimmer Sasha Gatt who has already qualified for Olympic B Standard at the Slovakian Grand Prix earlier this year.
Another is Malta’s Athlete of the Year, Janet Richard, who will race till the end for a chance at Tokyo.
It’s only a matter of time until Malta’s final contingent is announced.
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