Listen to the latest episode of the BEC Podcast with Irish sibling mixed doubles pair, Sam and Chloe Magee.
Sam Magee, 30, and Chloe Magee, 31, hail from a big badminton family and together have had a long mixed doubles career. Sam Magee had earlier success at junior level when winning the European boy’s doubles in 2009 with French partner, Sylvain Grosjean. Shortly after this, as a mixed pair they won their first title on the circuit with the 2010 Spanish Open. Their ninth title came in 2018 when winning their home tournament, the Irish Open.
The Magee’s biggest achievements include a bronze medal at the European Championships in 2017, and back to back bronze medals at the European Games, the latest coming last year in Minsk, Belarus. They now have their eyes set on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games. Talking about their battle for qualification, Sam Magee says.
-Yes, it is extremely hard. This year we are playing a lot of tournaments. We are following all of the big tournaments because we can make the main draw. That is where we need to try and win some rounds. Of course, it is hard when you never know if there is going to be a prize at the end, but we just have to keep going. Many of the European pairs have stepped up, with the French, the Germans, the Dutch and of course the English, all playing really well. We just have to focus on ourselves now.
The brother-sister partnership talk openly on the podcast about their chances for Olympic qualification, the pros and cons of being the best in Ireland, what it is like working with family every day, when the right time to call it a day is, and the bright future of Irish badminton.