This archive report was first published on 12 June 2020.
At just 17 years old, Krisha Ghia has already achieved what many athletes can only dream of: reaching a major finals stage in their respective sports in a lifetime.
With over 20 local and international finals under her belt, Ghia has won a staggering 19 medals (gold, silver, and bronze) within just six years of playing badminton.
Her journey began at the 2014 Nyanza Badminton Open under 12-category, where she won her first title at the age of 10. She has since repeated this feat three times in three different categories.
Four years later, Ghia made her international debut at the 2018 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Junior Championships held at Ontario in Canada.
“Strength lives in the mind of a champion. I love badminton and representing my country is an honour for me,” Ghia said during an interview with the Standard Sports.
Despite missing the 2019 badminton calendar year due to academic commitments, Ghia is confident of making a strong return to active playing by making her senior debut and making the cut to the England games.
“Commonwealth games is the biggest stage any Kenyan badminton player has graced and it would be a pleasure to write history as not only representing my country but also winning a medal at the world stage,” she said.
With her sights set on the 2021 Kenya International Badminton Championships, Ghia aims to become the first Kenyan to win the tournament in 20 years, a feat last achieved by Ann Maina in 2001.
“The international tournament will be a good platform for me to prepare for the commonwealth games. I am therefore directing all my focus in ensuring I win at the championships next year with an aim of returning the title back home,” she added.
