Steven Ma Uses Bug Zapper as Badminton Racket

8/8/2012 Steven Ma has always loved sports, especially badminton. His enthusiasm for badminton is so 'feverish' that he would not forgo any available spare time playing badminton even when at Hengdian shooting a series. (May-July). In between shooting scenes, he would use this free time to practice badminton strokes with an electric bugs zapper. With the bugs zapper in his hand, he had a game going, now 'killing the shuttlecock', now 'backhanding the shuttlecock', thoroughly enjoying his badminton fix. What's so amusing is that his immersion in his pretend game was so total, it incurred other workers' snickers at seeing him so, but ignoring all, Steven continued to do his own thing.

When showed this set of photos as proof, Steven did not mind at all, and even admitted his guilt with a smile: "People who know me know that I like to play badminton. Whenever I've free time I'll drag my friends to play badminton with me. During the time in Hengdian, the days had turned hot and humid so lots of mosquitoes and flies so I would bring the bugs zapper everywhere with me. Besides using it to zap the bugs, in between shooting scenes, I could use it to mimic badminton strokes and moves. People thought I had gone mad. Actually, waiting to shoot my scene, I was just looking for some self-entertainment; this is what is called "using a product to the max."

When the talk turns to Olympics, Steven was full of enthusiasm: "Besides studying the script, and preparing the September new series, I also watch my most beloved badminton games. I didn't even have time to sleep. Need to support both national and Hong Kong teams ma. Women's doubles took the gold, women's singles both gold and silver, men's singles, Lin Dan, took the gold. And also there are the women's volleyball, and table tennis to watch. But watching the Olympics games makes my "hands itched", so when have the time I'll immediately called up friends to play badminton".

As a badminton buff, he is naturally attentive to badminton news, among them is the disqualification of the Chinese women's doubles team of Wang Xiao Li and Yu Yang from Olympics. Steven feels that is very unfortunate: "I know these two athletes. We are friends. In spirit, I still support them, and hope that they will not quit badminton, but will continue to play and get even better results in the future. Actually, through the years I've gotten know many mainland and Hong Kong athletes and know that they work really hard, and that they have expended much blood, sweat, tears and physical efforts and spirit into their sports. That's why all along I always respect and love them, and hope that every one of them, regardless medaling or not, so long he/she has done his/her best, that's enough. Frankly, having watched Olympics all these years, regardless the Olympians medaled or not, in my heart, they are all awesome. But what I want to emphasize most is this: medaling or not is not important because what they have given out (tn: of themselves and to their sport) is already the biggest harvest."

Those who have played badminton with Steven know that his techniques are not bad. This reporter heard in September Hong Kong badminton platform has an upcoming big event:

"Chinese Badminton Open competition ma; already sign up. This is my first time participating in an open competition. But don't know if the date will clash with my work schedule or not; hopefully it won't. If schedules clashed then I can't do it. So feeling a bit nervous here. Actually in recent years I've been playing with former Hong Kong national team members and Hong Kong coach(es), and they practise continually with me to help me improve my game. Participating in competition, win or not, not that important; most important is the participation itself, and that the whole competition process can help improve one's progress; that, will give me the most satisfaction."

source: wenweipo; takungpao; tungstar
related material: Steven's weibo support national Olympians