Line Christophersen is only 19 years old and wrote already history: As the first Danish Women’s Singles player, she won a medal at the World Junior Championships.
In the BEC Magazine, she spoke to Badminton Europe about her successful 2018, her dreams and goals for the future and how she deals with the feeling of pressure.
Tallinn and Markham are the cities that Line Christophersen for sure associates with good memories.
The Dane, that has just turned 19 years old in January, has a successful last year to look back to: she achieved the biggest successes in her badminton career so far.
In 2018, Line Christophersen achieved her first triumph on court in August. She won the Danish Junior Cup in Women’s Singles.
Only one month later, she celebrated an even bigger victory: she won the Women’s Singles title at the European Junior Championships 2018 in Tallinn, Estonia. She decided all her matches for herself in straight games.
Runner-up at the World Junior Championships
Then, towards the end of the year, the Women’s Singles player achieved a unique success: She won Silver at the World Junior Championships 2018 that took place in Markham, Canada, in November.
With this achievement, Line Christophersen was the first Danish Women’s player in history, who was able to win a medal at the World Junior Championships.
"I do not know what the secret was, but I had a good period up to the World Junior Championships. My coach and I talked a lot about what I should focus on in that period, so I knew what I had to focus on every time I was training", Christophersen said.
"I also started to feel very comfortable with my new training setup, so I think it has helped me a lot to just practice and not think about anything else," she added.
Christophersen is currently living in Copenhagen, Denmark. Since 2016, she is participating in international badminton tournaments – and has a tough training schedule.
"I train three times per week at the Peter Gade Academy and two times at the Danish national training center. Besides, I am also playing for the club of Gentofte and I am doing strength training."
"I do not feel that the pressure is too big"
The Dane graduated from high school, when was in the ninth grade. Since then, she is solely focusing on the sport of badminton.
"Right now, I am playing badminton full time. I have been doing this for the last three years," Christophersen said.
The 19-year-old is one of Denmark’s biggest badminton talents. In her first year as a professional Junior player, she already won big titles, such as the European U17 Championships and the Danish U17 Cup.
After her successes from last year, Christophersen is a big hope for the Danish national team in the future.
"I am trying not to think about being pressured too much. I am lucky that I have Peter Gade and Scott Evans who both work with me at the Academy," the 19-year-old said.
"They have also been in my situation, so I can use their expertise and talk with them, when I have problems. But I do not feel that the pressure is too big right now."
"I would love to be one of the best Women Single’s players"
In 2018, Christophersen has competed in seven tournaments. For her participation in the World Junior Championships, she has traveled to the other side of the world.
"Sometimes, it is hard, when you are travelling for a long time. But I feel okay because I have traveled with someone I knew almost every time until now, which has helped. My brother also plays tournaments, so sometimes we can also travel together."
Looking to her future as a professional badminton player, the young Dane already has ambitious plans and goals that she wants to reach.
"I am going to play more senior tournaments in 2019. But my biggest dream is to play badminton for a living, I would love to be one of the best Women Single’s players. But I think the most important thing for me is to do what I love and have fun with it."
Find the latest edition of the BEC Magazine on Issuu