“You only breathe badminton in my house. “ Sebastin López and Silvia Rueda became fond of badminton when in Spain almost nobody knew what a shuttlecock was. They met him at a school in Arjonilla (Jan), where a teacher ‘began’ to take this sport as an extracurricular activity. In those years, and during the Institute, they played for leisure and fun … without knowing that 30 years later they will debut in a senior World Championship.
So it will happen this Sunday, in Huelva (to be played from November 28 to December 4), in which to be the international debut of both. A couple on and off the track -they have two children aged 8 and 6 who accompany them to competitions whenever they can and the pandemic allows it-, Sebas and Silvia, civil guard and teacher, left the sport in their youth: “We changed cities to study and there we left it,” they say.
But when they arrived in Madrid to work and settled in Legans, they discovered the local club and They not only took up the sport but also entered the Board of Directors of the entity, as president and secretary. “In that first training session at Legans, we were both clear that we wanted to be on the court again, with the racket and the shuttlecock,” they say. And they have not missed any training again.
In that first lap session, it was clear to us that we wanted to be on the track again.
Those, your vital quadrants deserve a Guinness record, between work obligations, club management, training and family conciliation. “As we are both passionate about this, we organize ourselves, although sometimes it is difficult.”
Because, Debuting internationally in a World Cup in the over 35 category is a gift. “We had to find a place among the best rackets in the world and we have tried that, to be here by ranking. And we succeeded,” says Sebas, who will make his debut against German Steffen Hohenberg in individual competition. “He has beaten the best, so we’ll see what I can do. If I make a point … I just want to enjoy the moment and learn.”
And I will have several of those moments, since Sebastin Lpez play in the three categories: individual, doubles and mixed, in the latter, with his wife, Silvia. “Sharing a track has its advantages and disadvantages,” they say with a laugh. “After some championship, we have still been a few hours without speaking to each other, depending on how we had gone,” says Sebas. “But the good thing is that we also understand each other well and we understand that we have to organize ourselves to be able to play what we like,” says Silvia.
Because with two children, carrying out training sessions and games is sometimes complicated. “Álvaro and Vega are, as we say, children of the pavilion,” both assure. “Since they were months old they have been with us on the slopes and that is why a thousand and one anecdotes have happened to us”, they say, which has allowed the little ones not only to be more autonomous but also to fall in love with badminton.
lvaro and Vega are, as we say, pavilion children, they are used to playing in the stands while we compete
“On one occasion, when Vega was three months old, I had to play and her father stayed with her in the Grada,” Silvia recalls. “And just at that moment they called him to play in another attached court. He had to leave the little one to the partner of another player who was a friend of ours, who took care of her during that time. Thankfully Vega didn’t cry.”
The two little ones play and compete with the racket as well. And many weekends they prepare what they call “competition kit: with games, puzzles, cards … They entertain themselves in the stands, while we play.” This time they will not accompany them to the World Cup, to which they have qualified by paying all their expenses, from the PCR they request to the qualifying competitions. “When possible, some help comes from the club, but the costs are borne by us.”
More hobby thanks to Carolina
Sebastin López and Silvia Rueda have followed the evolution of badminton for more than 30 years, since they started and it was hardly known until now. In this way, the emergence of Carolina Martin, Olympic, world and European champion, has been key. “It has been noticed, it is clear”, they admit. “At the club we have a waiting list to enter. We don’t have enough courts to welcome people who want to play.”
Badminton has reached more people thanks to Carolina and television. But there are still people who call the club and ask questions like if you sweat in this sport
Although they insist that there is still a long way to go. “Badminton has reached more people thanks to Carolina since her games have been televised,” admits Silvia. “But we still meet people who call the club and ask things like if you sweat in this sport.”
What is clear is that badminton has been promoted in Spain in recent years and now the celebration of the World Championship in Huelva (first senior and later abolished) contributes to make it known even more.
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