Badminton star Ouseph admits post-Olympics hangover
Rajiv Ouseph admits his sobering London 2012 experience and the impending four years to Rio 2016 left him hungover but – now recovered – he’s convinced he’s still a world top-16 player.
Ouseph was one of four British badminton players at the Olympics; his placing of 19th in the men’s singles rankings after the year-long qualification period ended in May good enough for him to go.
He dropped to 25th by the time the Games started and failed to make it out of the group stages having beaten Sweden’s Henri Hurskainen but losing to Guatemala’s Kevin Cordon.
Results haven’t been kind to the 26-year-old from Hounslow since, and five first-round defeats from the six tournaments following London 2012 have now placed him out of the world’s top 30.
Ouseph blames a post-Games comedown for his dip but points to reaching the semi-finals of the Bitburger Open last month as proof that his ranking is not only misleading but temporary.
“I was obviously disappointed not making the last 16 in London but it was still a very good experience. I hope to draw on that and use it in a positive way,” said Ouseph.
“I have had a bit of a hangover. Coming to training and knowing the next Olympics is so far away and that there is a lot of time between now and then was difficult.
“I have had a few results that have not gone well as a result but I have had more time to recover and now I am really looking forward to next year.
“I have struggled a bit in competitions, with a few first-round exits, but in recent weeks I have done better for example the semi-final in at the Bitburger Open.
“It will take some graft and hard work but I can even use those lows to move forward. If I am ever looking for inspiration I think I can look back on London and it can help me.”
Ouseph reached as high as 11th in the world rankings over two years ago and didn’t drop out of the top 20 until July 2011 – less than a month before the World Championships.
He was to lose in the first round at those worlds but Ouseph believes an end-of-year training block will see him hit the ground running ahead of next year’s global gathering in China.
“You need to be striving to get better every day now and with a large training block in front of me it is a good chance to get back to the form I want to be producing,” he added.
“For me I know I can play to a high level and I have proved that but rather inconsistently. I want to improve that and maintain a high standard.”
Tickets for every day of the English National Badminton Championships are available at www.nationalbadmintonchamps.co.uk or call the box office on 0844 5811 424
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