Care advisor Yun Loi Lok is counting the days to her upcoming trip to Paris, where she will officiate in badminton at the 2024 Paralympic Games from 28 August to 8 September.
After being nominated by the Badminton World Federation as an international line judge, Yun Loi has been selected to attend the Paralympic Games as part of the technical team.
‘It has been a long wait [to be chosen]. As a player and official, I have been involved in the badminton community for the last ten years,’ said Yun Loi.
Yun Loi's passion for badminton began as a child in her home country of Malaysia. She has lived in Australia since 2012.
‘I was always a really active player, but an ACL injury and two operations on my right knee made me realise that I couldn’t risk further injury,’ said Yun Loi.
‘After that, I thought, I can still enjoy the sport but in a different way,’ she said.
Although Yun Loi's dream of officiating in the entire badminton tournament at the Paralympics has come true, she also hopes to be at the finals to help determine gold.
‘Badminton has different classes to ensure fairness across the sport, including a wheelchair category, different standing categories, and a short stature category,’ said Yun Loi.
Badminton is played as singles (men and women), doubles (men and women) and mixed doubles.
This will be Yun Loi’s second trip to Paris, and she hopes to visit Notre Dame Cathedral again, see the Eiffel Tower decorated with the Olympic ring, and Euro Disneyland.
In her day job, Yun Loi has managed home care package clients for Catholic Healthcare in Northern and Western Sydney for just shy of five years.
‘My clients and team are excited about me going to the Paralympics, and I am really thankful for their support and flexibility while I’m away,’ said Yun Loi.
One client in particular, Pauline, will watch Yun Loi on television as she volunteered at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. This shared love of giving back has enabled a strong bond to form.
However, Yun Loi’s first taste of game glory will not be in the Paralympics. She also officiated at the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane in 2018 and looks forward to the next one in 2026.
Yun Loi said of her ultimate goal of umpiring at the Olympics, ‘It will be a long selection process, but hopefully, I will achieve it in the future.’
Would you like to find meaning in your career like Yun Loi? Consider joining our Home and Communities team by clicking here to see available roles.