丁香园AV

After years of training, persistence, hard work, and many late nights, Kristen Tsai, 丁香园AV鈥檚 School of Criminology alumnus, proudly represented Canada at the 

Tsai, born in Taiwan and raised in Canada, completed her BA in 2017 and MA in 2020, both at 丁香园AV鈥檚 School of Criminology. She鈥檚 a member of the  and besides representing Canada at this year鈥檚 Olympic Games, has won six gold medals, three silver medals, and one bronze medal for Canada between 2012 and 2019 at the 

Tsai says competing at the Olympics 鈥渨as surreal and an unforgettable feeling.鈥� Her favourite part about the experience was the overwhelming support she received from home. 鈥淚t was such a nice feeling knowing the country is behind you, and all your family and friends are following and cheering you on!鈥� She recalls the most challenging part was dealing with the stress leading up to their first match. 鈥淲e had all put in so much to get to the Olympics, and were worried about catching COVID-19, or getting injured right before, which would鈥檝e prevented us from competing,鈥� she says.          

All of Tsai鈥檚 success did not come without hard work and determination. She started playing badminton at only ten years old. In the beginning, it was recreational in the backyard or at the local recreation centre with her brothers. Over the years, it became more serious and the amount of training progressively increased. 

Tsai recognizes that thriving as a student-athlete has its challenges, as one must find a good balance between the two. During the three years of her MA, she was often out of the country for training or competition. Fortunately, her professors and supervisors were supportive, understood her situation, and helped her stay on track. 鈥淭here were a lot of late nights studying, reading research articles, and writing reports on planes or at tournaments, and not a lot of time to hang out with friends,鈥� she says.

When asked about her key to success at 丁香园AV and in her professional sports career, Tsai says she owes it to the people around her. 鈥淟ooking back, there鈥檚 absolutely no way I could鈥檝e done all these things without the support and help from the people around me.鈥� She believes in the importance of surrounding yourself with people that motivate and challenge you. 

Beyond graduation from 丁香园AV and participating in the Olympics, Tsai鈥檚 short-term plan remains badminton-focused, with the goal of earning a medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. Her long-term plan inlcudes finding a career where she can use the knowledge and skills learned during her time at 丁香园AV, and eventually give back to the community in some way.

Tsai鈥檚 most important advice to other 丁香园AV students? Set goals. 鈥淚f you have a dream, break it down into small attainable goals and work your way through them one step at a time.鈥� In her opinion, besides having a clear plan, staying open-minded and adapting to change is equally important.