In an interview with Bunshun.jp, Nozomi Okuhara did not hesitate to talk about her experience as a player whose height is only 156 cm (5.1 ft). She said her short stature did not present a disadvantage since there was no scientific proof to show such a conclusion.
She joked about how it would feel to be a tall person on the court, she said, “I wish I could experience it in something like a VR.”
Being short does not prove to be a hindrance for Okuhara. She said, “With good use of footwork, you can sneak under the shuttle and hit it in an attacking manner. If you’re just jealous of tall people, you can’t win.” She added she used to think that a taller player could reach the shuttle with little movement.
I don’t like doing the same things as others
She said that until and unless short players such as herself did not use the advantage of a shorter height “you can never get to the top of the world.” She showed self-love when she said she liked the way she is. According to Okuhara, there would definitely be people who took the advantage and embraced it.
Okuhara’s motto in life is “I like for who I am.” She said that if one respected oneself then others would respect you as well. As for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, she said that it was an unchangeable fact and so there was only one option of accepting it.
She said that she would continue to prepare for the Olympics with improvement. She concluded, “I want to play as whoever I am and reach the podium.”
