Mathias Boe, a 22-year-old badminton player, and his doubles partner Christian Faust Kjaer recently made headlines at the Thailand Open. They advanced to the finals where they were handily beaten by the Malaysian pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik. The game would go down as an important footballing milestone for Boe and Kjaer. They want to raise the level of their competition in the global arena, motivated by the sacrifices made by their families.
In the Thailand Open final, Boe and Kjaer first saw action against Chia and Soh. As expected, the current world champions, 2022’s title winners, gave a spirited fight. Spoiler alert, they did not win the title, but their run to the final was nothing short of impressive. They recorded incredible wins over more established combos such as world No. 1 Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen and world No. 5 Fajar Alfian and Rian Ardianto.
Yet the roots of Boe’s love for badminton lie with this uncle, Mathias Boe, who has been a guiding hand during his career. He opened up about how his uncle’s impact motivated him to take the leap and go pro.
“I was born into badminton. Mathias Boe is my mother’s brother and he’s been a big influence in my career.” – William Kryger Boe
Christian Faust Kjaer has a different but equally inspiring pedigree. His paternal uncle, Kasper Faust Henriksen, played badminton at a national level, competing in major tournaments such as the Denmark Open. Kjaer’s veneration for his uncle is emblematic of the family ties that fuel both competitors.
“My uncle Kasper also played badminton but he was not as good as Mathias. He did play in some big tournaments like the Denmark Open.” – Christian Faust Kjaer
The pair, who now sit 50th in the world, have been putting in serious work just to use their new experiences to be better. They frequently train in tandem with some of the best badminton athletes in the world.
“We train on a daily basis with some of the best pairs in the world like world No. 1 Kim (Astrup) and Anders (Skaarup Rasmussen).” – William Kryger Boe
It’s their powerful connection and impressive competitiveness with each other that keeps them hungry and focused. Kjaer explained the tension between motivation and frankness in their collaboration.
“Sometimes, we are harsh with each other but in a good way. We encourage each other.” – Christian Faust Kjaer
Boe and Kjaer are looking forward to taking on Aaron Tai and Kang Khai Xing in their opening round match. They clearly want to improve in the years ahead. Their mutual passion for badminton comes through as they both work to make their imprint on the sport.
“William and I knew each other since we were five. We both started playing badminton as soon as we could pick up a racket and hit the shuttle.” – Christian Faust Kjaer
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