KUALA LUMPUR: Badminton gold medallist Ang Li Peng has gone on to conquer another “court” since hanging up her racquet in 2003.
Always one to overcome the odds, the gritty 29-year-old from Banting achieved her goal of obtaining a law degree, graduating last month at the University of Manchester.
Major victory: Ang with a picture of her and former doubles partner Lim Pek Siah after they won the Commonwealth doubles gold in 2002.The pair had created history by being the first Malaysians to win the Commonwealth doubles’ gold medal.
“I achieved my ultimate dream of winning gold before retiring. How many people have had the chance to do that?” asked the once-shy girl who is now a confident law graduate.
Her success in, and out, of the badminton court certainly did not come easy.
“I could not even speak English properly and used to stutter. Imagine how difficult it was for me when I did my A-levels in 2005, seven years after taking my SPM exam,” she said, adding that she made the decision to quit the sport and return to her books as she realised that a good education would secure her future.
Admitting that there were times when she felt like throwing in the towel, she said she also lost direction and did not know what course to pursue at one juncture.
Fortunately, she never let these initial problems affect her. She completed her A-levels before pursuing her Bachelor of Law degree at the university.
“It was akin to a badminton novice playing with Lin Dan, who sprays unpredictable shots all over the court. But the person gets better after playing with him several times,’’ she said.
Ang reserved special words of praise for her family, and friends like badminton lover Datuk Seri Andrew Kam, who owns the KLRC badminton club which has sponsored many badminton players around the world.
The determined Ang said she took up law because she believed in “justice, fair play and equality”.
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