Thinley Namgay
National shutlers Anish Gurung and Jimba Sangay Lhendup from Bhutan Badminton Federation (BBF) are training in Thailand to intensify their preparation for the much-awaited Asian Games (AG) later this year in China.
The duo has been in Thailand for almost a year now. The debut in AG is expected to enhance their exposure, improve their skills, and learn from other athletes across Asia.
Anish Gurung, 23-year-old from Samtse, joined the BBF in 2017. He said the tournament will be challenging as he will be competing against world-class athletes. “I’ll try my best.”
Jimba Sangay Lhendup
Anish graduated from the Gedu College of Business Studies in July last year. Soon after his graduation, Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC) and the BBF sent him for international training.
“Training is on track,” Anish said, adding that it is a privilege to participate in the Asian Games as Bhutanese badminton players lack the opportunity to compete in such mega tournaments.
Having featured in five international tournaments so far, he is ripe for the AG.
Jimba Sangay Lhendup, 21, from Lhuentse, is a bronze medalist in the 2019 Maldives badminton championship. He also participated in the international competition in 2018 in Bangladesh.
Jimba has been with the BBF for five years. “Ongoing training improved our techniques and exposure. It gives me confidence.”
However, the language barrier has been a challenge for both athletes during training.
