#TuksBadminton: Von Bodenstein aims to be more disciplined to qualify for the Olympics

Posted on April 02, 2019

One loss is too many. This is how the TuksBadminton player, Bongani von Bodenstein views his semi-final defeat against Ruan Snyman in the recent Category One Tournament in Durban.

 

Justifiably so. Von Bodenstein has set his sights on qualifying for next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo. With the qualification period officially starting in three weeks, the Tuks player is all too aware that he needs to be more disciplined. That is why he considers losing against Snyman a much-needed wake-up call.

 

 Von Bodenstein will get his first chance to improve his international ranking while representing South Africa at the All African Championships in Nigeria (22-28 April). He believes that as a team they have a realistic chance to medal, but he also wants to give a proper reckoning of his abilities in the individual tournament.

 

It will be tough as Mauritius apparently has a few top-ranked international players while Egypt can boast with a Youth Olympic medallist in their team.

 

“I want to become South Africa's top men's badminton player. However, to do that I need to be more disciplined. That is why from this week I aim to train three times a day. I am also planning to watch my diet more carefully. Junk food is a definite no-no from now on as I need to increase my protein intake.”

 

Von Bodenstein admits that it is not the first time that he has promised himself to be more dedicated. After last year’s Commonwealth Games he was also highly motivated.

 

 “The problem with being involved in an individual sport like badminton is that the onus is on you.  If you don’t feel like training, you don’t do so. The same goes for your diet. It stands to reason if you are not disciplined it is easy to go astray. It happened to me towards the end of last year.

 

“I only started training seriously about three weeks ago. That is why I lost to Ruan. He began practising earlier which enabled him to play the better shots as well as being tactically savvier than I was.

 

“Finding good training partners is another real problem. Ruan and I used to practice together, but since he is now studying at North West, it has become nearly impossible.”

 

 

 

To some extent, it may appear to be a desperate measure, but Von Bodenstein has roped in his brother Karobo, to be his unofficial coach. Their arrangement boils down to the Tuks player telling his brother what he wants to work on. For example, if it is his drop shots, his brother will make sure he gets to do so by creating different scenarios in which he should try and play the shot.

 

Karobo von Bodenstein also promised to police his brother’s diet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Author Wilhelm de Swardt

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