A bow for Boe – Dane William aspires to be like uncle Mathias
Denmark men's doubles shuttlers William Kryger Boe (left)-Christian Faust Kjaer in action.
KUALA LUMPUR: Danish shuttler William Kryger Boe dreams of following the footsteps of his famous uncle Mathias Boe.
The 22-year-old announced himself on the world stage in style when he and Christian Faust Kjaer stunned several big names to reach the Thailand Open final before going down fighting to Malaysia's 2022 world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik in Bangkok on Sunday.
Boe-Kjaer upstaged Indonesia's world No. 5 Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto and another Malaysian duo, world No. 8 Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun en route to the pair's first World Tour final.
Boe said that he is inspired by his uncle Mathias, who formed a legendary partnership with Carsten Morgensen during his playing days.
The pair reached world No. 1 in 2010 and captured silver in the 2012 London Olympics.
'I was born into badminton. Mathias Boe is my mother's brother and he's been a big influence in my career,' said Boe.
'I've been to the All-England in Birmingham when he was playing and watched him.
'I started playing badminton at the age of five because of him. I always wanted to be like him and hopefully, one day I can play in the big events just like him.'
Just like Boe, Kjaer's uncle Kasper Faust Henriksen was also a badminton player.
Having uncles in the sport has forged a strong friendship between Boe and Kjaer from childhood.
'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,' said Kjaer.
'William and I knew each other since we were five. We both started playing badminton as soon as we could pick up a racquet and hit the shuttle.
'We are really good friends and we also spend time off court. This helps our communication on court.
'Sometimes, we are harsh with each other but in a good way. We encourage each other.'
Boe-Kryger leaped 25 spots to No. 50 in the latest world rankings after their exploits in the Thailand tourney but the duo do not want to stop there.
'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),' said Boe.
'Our biggest goal is to emulate our seniors. Right now, we just want to focus on our game and in the coming years, we hope we can step up.
'We want to win as much as possible. We will take it slow and work hard. Last week in Thailand was crazy. We didn't expect anything like that.
'At the highest level, it's about playing more matches and gaining in confidence when we manage to beat the top pairs,' added Boe.
Boe-Kryger got off to a good start in the Malaysian Masters when they easily beat homesters Chia Weijie-Lwi Shenghao 21-9, 21-16 in the first qualifying round at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
The pair will face another Malaysian pair Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing in the first round today.
World junior champions Aaron-Khai Xing defeated teammates Bryan Jeremy Goonting-Fazriq Razif 21-17, 21-17 in their qualifying round match.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malaysia Sun
2 hours ago
- Malaysia Sun
Chinese shuttlers reach semifinals in four categories at 2025 Indonesia Open
Xinhua 06 Jun 2025, 23:45 GMT+10 JAKARTA, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese shuttlers delivered convincing performances on Friday, advancing to the semifinals in four events at the 2025 Indonesia Open badminton tournament held at Istora Senayan stadium. Mixed doubles pair Cheng Xing and Zhang Chi outclassed Japan's Midorikawa Hiroki and Saito Natsu 21-19, 21-13, setting up a semifinal clash with France's Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue. In the women's doubles, Li Yijing and Luo Xumin defeated Japan's Fukushima Yuki and Matsumoto Mayu 21-9, 21-19 to book a semifinal against Malaysia's Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan. Their compatriots Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning also advanced, beating South Korea's Kim Hye-jeong and Kong Hee-yong 21-18, 21-10 in 45 minutes. They will face another South Korean duo, Baek Hana and Lee Sohee, in the semifinals. In the women's singles, Wang Zhiyi will face compatriot Han Yue in the semifinals after edging Gao Fangjie 21-18, 23-21 in an all-Chinese quarterfinal. In the men's singles, world No. 1 Shi Yuqi cruised past fellow Chinese player Wang Zhengxing 21-13, 21-6 to earn a place in the final, where he will take on Denmark's Anders Antonsen. The 2025 Indonesia Open will conclude on Sunday, with a total prize pool of 1.45 million U.S. dollars.
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
UPSI developing international water sports facility
UNIVERSITI Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) is charting new territory as an international kayaking hub, developing a state-of-the-art water sports facility worth RM1mil at the UPSI Marina in Perak. Its vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff said the initiative, which included enhancement of the lake, acquisition of the latest kayaking equipment, specialised reference materials and the support of sports science expertise, had positioned UPSI as a leading destination for training, research and the management of national water sports events. 'UPSI offers more than just physical infrastructure. We are backed by strong academic capabilities and technical expertise,' he told Bernama. The university currently has four national-level kayaking experts based at the Faculty of Sports Science and Coaching, ready to provide guidance and advisory services to athletes, coaches and sports organisations, he highlighted. With ongoing scientific research, up-to-date reference resources and the application of cutting-edge water sports technology, UPSI is poised to become an integrated training centre for kayaking as well as a platform for organising local and international tournaments, he said. Prof Md Amin said this when opening the 16th UPSI Kayak Regatta at Gerbang Suria on the Sultan Azlan Shah Campus near Tanjong Malim in Perak. 'Our aim is not just to produce excellent athletes but also to develop kayaking through a holistic approach that encompasses training, sports science, management and education,' he said. Prof Md Amin said UPSI was in the process of securing official recognition from the Asian Canoe Confederation as one of the primary venues for canoe and dragon boat sports development and championships in the country. 'Once recognised, UPSI will join the ranks of Malaysian universities with international-class status as a centre for kayaking and dragon boat sports development,' he added. UPSI offers comprehensive educational opportunities for athletes, ranging from diploma to doctorate programme. This includes a special pathway known as Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning for Qualifications (APEL Q), tailored for coaches. 'We believe sports and education should progress together. 'Through this dedicated pathway, coaches with over 20 years of experience can further their studies through the Master of Education programme in Sports Science,' said Prof Md Amin.
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Nurturing young hockey talent
SELANGOR'S Ultimate Boys were crowned champions of the inaugural Under-12 six-a-side Datuk Bandar Seremban Trophy after defeating Kuala Lumpur's ARHC Club 3-1 in a pulsating final at the Seremban 2 hockey pitch. In the girls' category, FHT Bombastic from Kuala Lumpur emerged winners when they edged Melaka's JDP Princess 7-6 on penalty strokes. Apart from the challenge trophy and medals, the winners received RM3,000. The runners-up got RM2,000 and medals. Tournament organising chairman Dr Rajesh Singh said 59 teams from Melaka, Selangor, Johor, Perak, Terengganu, Kuala Lumpur and Negri Sembilan took part in the two-day event, which was organised by Seremban District Hockey Association (PHDS). Champions in the boys' category, Ultimate Boys from Selangor, celebrate with Seremban mayor Datuk Masri Razali (back row, second from left) and Rajesh (back row, right). The event, themed 'Nurturing Young Hockey Talent and Expanding Competitive Play', was a milestone for PHDS as it was the largest grassroots hockey event hosted to date. PHDS, which was only registered in 2021 and is an affiliate of Negri Sembilan Hockey Association, had previously organised two smaller tournaments to unearth talent. 'The tournament not only fostered skills development but also strengthened camaraderie among the participants, reinforcing PHDS' commitment to helping shape the future of Malaysian hockey. 'With the success of this tournament, PHDS now looks forward to organising it annually and on a much larger scale.' In the boys' category, Negri Sembilan All Star A came in third place, while Selangor's Golden Stick emerged fourth. Some of the players in action during the competition. In the girls' event, third place went to Negri Sembilan's Hidden Queen and fourth to Melaka's Mermaid Hyacinth. Third-place teams received RM1,000 each, and the fourth, RM500. The association also presented individual awards to the best male and female players, and goalkeepers. The association, Rajesh said, aims to attract more teams from across Malaysia and possibly extend invitations to neighbouring countries, to establish an international grassroots hockey platform. He said this expansion would enhance competitiveness, raise performance standards and position Seremban as a regional hub for youth hockey development. Rajesh, who is also PHDS deputy president, said the association traced its roots back to 2016 when a group of hockey enthusiasts, who included former state and national players alongside seasoned coaches, came together with a mission to promote grassroots hockey and foster community engagement. Rajesh said PHDS wished to develop young hockey talent, with a dedicated focus on players under the age of 16. 'Through structured coaching programmes, mentorship initiatives and competitive exposure, the association continues to nurture athletes, equipping them with the technical skills, discipline and teamwork necessary to thrive in the sport,' he said. Since its inception, Rajesh said PHDS had played a vital role in player development, with 12 players progressing to represent the state at competitive levels. 'The programme started off with just 15 trainees, but its success and growing reputation have led to a significant increase in participation, now boasting 70 young players actively training each Sunday,' he added. Rajesh also thanked the state youth and sports committee chairman Datuk Mustapha Nagoor and Seremban City Council (MBS) for their support in venue sponsorship and financial backing, which ensured the event's success. MBS, he said, has been a crucial driving force behind PHDS' growth as it has been instrumental in providing logistical support and sponsorship to facilitate hockey development, from offering training grounds to backing grassroots initiatives financially.
