When it comes to sports, many would quickly assume that the athletes have muscular bodies. You just don’t expect a fat person to be into sports, right? Not unless it was some eating sport (is there such a thing?) or something that doesn’t require much movement, such as a computer game tournament.
But a badminton star in Indonesia has broken stereotypes about fat guys and sports by becoming a professional badminton player!
Photo credit: Shuttlers
At 150 kg (331 pounds), Hanri Yustanto of Samarinda, East Kalimantan Indonesia is huge! But the obese guy did not let his weigh get him down and keep him out of the sport he loved since he was still a kid: badminton.
Photo credit: Shuttlers
Yustanto started playing badminton when he was just 5 years old. But even as a young kid, he was already struggling with weight problems. However, he was so good at playing badminton that even with his huge body and heavy weight, he would quickly become a champion.
His weight does make him more vulnerable to injury, yet he managed to stay in the court and eventually making it to a professional team called Pusdiklat Sumber Mas Samarinda. He played for the team from 2000 to 2007.
Photo credit: Shuttlers
The experience had been fun for Yustanto who often had the last laugh in court during tournaments.
“Usually before I entered the badminton court, the opponents always underestimated me. But after they see me play, they’re immediately shocked and no longer underestimate me,” Yustanto recalled.
He has long quit playing for the professional badminton team due to his age, yet he continues to play just for fun.
Photo credit: Shuttlers
The badminton star remains heavyweight but recently found a way to share his passion to others by posting YouTube videos of himself playing in the court.
“I wanted to send a message that fat people like me are able to play sports, especially badminton. My goal is just to share happiness with everyone,” Yustanto shared.
Posting on his YouTube channel, BIG BADMINTON, Yustanto shared a video he gamely captioned as ‘funny badminton’.
He was rather surprised that the video quickly became viral. To date, it has received over 2 million views! Wow.
Photo credit: Shuttlers
Yustanto might be obese, but he has proven that fat people can still enjoy playing sports.
Watch the viral video here: