Sukamuyo was turned away because he was too short! A generation of geniuses almost buried
In May 2024, when Indonesian badminton prodigy Sukha Muyo announced his retirement at the age of 27, fans around the world were full of regret and shock. One of the brightest stars in badminton today, he has won 19 World Tour titles, a gold medal in men's doubles at Tokyo 2020, and countless other titles. It can be called a generation of feather world.
You may not know that the Sukka Muyo, who was later dubbed by the media as a "rare genius in twenty years", was twice rejected by the national team as a child because he was too short.
In 2006 and 2007, Muyo, who was only 10 and 11 years old at the time, participated in Indonesia's domestic badminton trials, but was ruthlessly dismissed because he was only 1.5 meters tall.
"If you are too short, you must not be able to play well, and you will be rejected directly." After learning the shocking news, Chen Feng, a former national team member and the person in charge of the selection competition that year, could not hide his heartache.
Chen Feng recalled that at that time, he had already taken a fancy to the outstanding talent of this "little man": "Although Mu Yo is only 1.7 meters tall, he reacts quickly when he plays, moves flexibly, and especially has excellent judgment and tactical awareness when swinging the racket."
Acknowledging Sukka Muyo's unique talent, Chen Feng eventually persuaded other coaches to recruit the petite but promising youngster into the Needle Badminton Club.
In this way, a genius who was almost sentenced to "death" finally got a way to live. Under the cultivation of the Needle Club, Sukka Muyo and another not-so-tall sparring partner, Fernadi, gradually formed a team, and they played a unique "little man" style, which was agile and quick to react, and overwhelmed opponents.
Soon, they were nicknamed "The Minions" by fans, but the moniker didn't stop their meteoric rise. After Rio 2016, the Minions dominated the men's doubles for three years, winning multiple World Championships and Thomas Cup titles.
It was Sukka Muyo and his partner who broke the law that height is strength, showing the world that physique is not all that makes a superstar, it's all about innate talent and hard work.
Unfortunately, 27 years old is too young for a player in his prime, and Sukka Muyo chose to retire due to family factors and physical considerations.
But even if it was short-lived, he left us with this precious legacy: don't be bound by anyone's preconceived notions, as long as you work hard, everyone can become the next legend.
Sukka Muyo's inspirational story has long been spread around the world, but few people know that he still has Chinese blood in him. In fact, Sukka Muyo's maternal grandmother was a Chinese.
"My dad once told me that my grandmother left this world a long time ago, so I didn't know much about her." "But I know that I have Chinese roots, and that makes me feel proud. "
Although Sukka Muyo did not have the opportunity to be coached by his grandmother, his agile skills and tenacious fighting spirit seem to have inherited the essence of Chinese martial arts.
His full name is "Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuyo", and his name was inspired by a Hollywood action movie that his parents watched. Hormonal overproduction? This "little man" on the pitch is actually very fanatical inside.
Sukka Muyo started training in badminton at the age of 3 and his parents pick him up four times a week to fully support their son's dream. Although he was forced by his coach to switch to men's doubles due to his poor singles performance at the time, he eventually proved his talent with his strength.
Indonesian netizens liked the "Minion Group" very much, jokingly calling them "jumping like grasshoppers and never getting tired". The nickname was originally invented in 2015 by fans of the screen name "Stephanie Zen" to describe their energetic style of play on the court.
During the Spring Festival of 2019, Sukka Muyo also celebrated the Chinese New Year with his family. Although he does not speak Chinese himself, this blood relationship seems to give him a natural identification with traditional Chinese culture.
Now that Sukka Muyo is 27 years old, will he return to the game? He just said implicitly: "The future is long, and I will make the best choice for myself and my family."
But one thing is for sure, this Indonesian "Minion", who was once underestimated but eventually rose to become a genius legend, will continue to inspire countless dreamers to move forward.
For the story of Sukka Muyo's growth, we can get a glimpse of the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures. As a descendant of Indonesian-Chinese, he has demonstrated the wisdom of Chinese martial arts in badminton, and at the same time retains the tenacity and tenacity of the Southeast Asian nation.
It is this unique blend of cultures that has given rise to Sukka Muyo's unrivalled competitive talent. His path is unexpected, varied, and unpredictable; His physical fitness is even more extraordinary, making people seem to see a tireless "grasshopper".
After retiring from the sport, Sukka Muyo is still often hailed as a "modern martial artist". One critic wrote: "He seems to be performing an almost martial arts-like art on the court, with both offense and defense, attacking and retreating, and defending, which is simply a modern version of 'Tai Chi'."
As a generation of martial arts masters, Sukka Muyo has also resolved his own efforts to cultivate the younger generation of badminton players. He has run short-term summer camps in his hometown, passing on his years of experience to countless young players.
"Badminton is not just a simple sport, it contains too much oriental wisdom." "I hope that in my own way, I can pass on this wisdom and culture." "
Today, Sukka Muyo has become Indonesia's well-deserved "national icon". Whenever he shows up, there are always legions of fans who flock to him for a photo or an autograph. It can be seen that this former "Minion" has long become the pride of the Chinese sports world.
It is believed that with the guidance of such outstanding predecessors as Sukka Muyo, more athletes with oriental ancestry will rise in the future and show their skills on the world sports stage.
Sukha Muyo's success has not only inspired a generation of Indonesian and Southeast Asian people to pursue their sports dreams, but also made more Chinese descendants aware of the power of their unique cultural background.
Some Chinese scholars living abroad began to study the relationship between Eastern martial arts culture and modern sports. They believe that Sukka Muyo's wisdom of "overcoming rigidity with softness" and adapting to changes stems from China's long martial arts tradition.
"Martial arts emphasize wholehearted devotion and a high degree of unity between the mind and the body." One scholar explained, "This coincides with the 'concentration' and 'coordination' that modern competitive sports are pursuing. It is logical that many martial artists went on to become excellent athletes. "
Some young Chinese sports stars have also begun to take the initiative to learn martial arts, hoping to improve their competitive skills. Steven Zhou, a Chinese-American center who played in the NBA, learned Tai Chi. "Tai Chi has helped me find peace of mind, which is very helpful in controlling the pace of the game." Steven said.
At the same time, Sukha-Muyo made a comeback after retiring from the army and opened a training institute called "Martial Arts and Sports". Not only badminton skills are taught here, but there are also traditional martial arts classes such as Tai Chi and Baguazhang.
"I hope to spread the essence of Chinese and Western culture through sports." "Sport is not just about winning, it's about the philosophy of life. "
Now, a young martial arts team trained by Sukka Muyo himself is making its mark in major tournaments around the world. They are extraordinary, and they naturally integrate Eastern wisdom with Western competitive sports, showing a unique charm and temperament, which has been praised by the audience.