NEW DELHI: Like fine wine, Chou Tien-chen continues to get better and better with age. A career spanning almost two decades at the highest level, the 36-year-old shuttler from Chinese Taipei continues to be a real force to reckon at the elite level. Only recently, the age-defying shuttler had become the oldest to capture a Super 1000 title — the China Open. On Friday, he became the oldest to win a medal at the World Championships here.
The God-fearing Chou, also a cancer survivor, is grateful to be doing what he's doing and said that recovery has been the key to his high returns. "Every day I just try to push myself. Even with recovery, training and every detail, I need to really prepare...even sleeping. I really need to focus every day. Maybe over 20 years, it's not easy but thanks to God, I can keep going, have confidence," Chou, who outplayed promising star Alwi Farhan to confirm a medal on Friday, said.
"At my age, the important thing is recovery. Everyone wants training, training but not recovery. So they get injuries," the World No 6 added. Chou has an interesting take on the body. Likening his body to a well-engineered F1 car, he said one must know their car in detail in order to stay in control. "Everybody needs to know how their body works. Like an F1 driver, you need to know your car, you are a driver, you need to know how this car can do. So you can have a good speed, good straight, everything you can control," he said.
One person who has been instrumental behind his success is his manager Victoria Kao. Kao, a popular figure in the circuit, is quick to admit she's more of a motivator than a coach who breaks down performances. "I just say 'take a break, you're doing well'. Because I'm not a coach, I'm just a physio, I offer all my support to him. Sometimes he will say that he's not good enough. I just tell him 'no, don't think about that, you just relax and enjoy'."
What makes Chou's story even more compelling is the fact that he was diagnosed with early-stage colorectal cancer in 2023. Post surgery, it took roughly eight months or so for him to rediscover his form. Kao struggled to come up with the right word as she tried to sum up his journey. "I think it's amazing grace. I think it's magic...miracle! I want to say miracle! That's the reason why I say I appreciate we may have less chance to continue (...) we are still on the court, we can go back here."
It's a miracle indeed.
