Hard times: Aaron Chia (back) revealed that he had failed at a national selection trial when he was 12-years-old.
PETALING JAYA: Be prepared for the worst to chase your dreams.
This is the advice given by national men’s doubles shuttler Aaron Chia to youths who aspire to become successful athletes.
In a recent interview with Petronas, Aaron opened up about his own setbacks on his journey to become the country’s first world champion along with partner Soh Wooi Yik.
The 25-year-old surprisingly revealed that he had failed at a national selection trial when he was 12-years-old.
“I failed a national selection trial when I was 12. But my parents kept their faith in me. They kept on supporting me and told me that if I was really keen on joining the national team, I had to work harder and never give up.
“From my own experiences, I can say that no matter what you are chasing, whether in sports or education, be prepared for the worst if you want to succeed,” said Aaron.
“I will say that my parents inspired me the most to achieve my dreams. I remember that when I was six years old, I used to follow my dad (Chia Boon Foo) to play badminton with his friends. I became addicted to the sport after that,” said Aaron.
His perseverance finally paid off when he managed to enter the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) when he was 14 and started training with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) two years later.
But life as a professional athlete is never easy and Aaron went on to share tales of the sacrifices that he had to make to play at the highest level for his country.
“The toughest part is to sacrifice time with my family. My wife and daughters will always be staying at home and waiting for me to come back from tournaments or training camps overseas. I don’t get to celebrate Chinese New Year or their birthdays and this is not easy for me,” admitted Aaron.
Aaron is currently gearing up for the Malaysian Open from Jan 10-15 at the Axiata Arena along with Wooi Yik.
