New Delhi: Chou Tien Chen has won 12 BWF World Tour titles, a World Championships bronze and an Asian Games silver. Yet, the fire still burns. On Friday (August 21), the 36-year-old reached the BWF World Championships semifinals in New Delhi, securing his second Worlds medal after beating Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan – a player 15 years his junior. For Chou, however, there is little surprise in it. Evergreen and driven, he continues his pursuit, backed by a vocal crowd at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.

Chou is now the oldest man to win a BWF Worlds medal, breaking Hendra Setiawan’s record set in 2022, when the Indonesian clinched men’s doubles gold at 35. Chou is still firmly in the hunt for the yellow metal.

Asked about the secret behind his remarkable consistency in a fast, intense and physically demanding game – one in which he can still unleash jump smashes without feeling the effects of his knee – Chou admitted that sustaining such a level at his age may seem impossible, but his passion for the sport remains unchanged.

“Because 100 per cent Jesus. Because no one can do that at this age,” he quipped with a broad smile while speaking to the media.

His faith is also visible on his shirt, which carries a crucifix on the neckline.

“I really prepare for the confidence from the God. So I can put all my pressure around Him. So I just go, just play my best on the court. So, however the age, however what, I can really, really enjoy this match. So, very appreciate the crowd from India. It’s amazing. So, God bless,” he added.

At 36, Chou is still chasing his maiden Worlds gold at a time when most of his contemporaries have either retired, moved into coaching or are nearing the end of their careers. But age has done little to dull his hunger. He remains tenacious, pushing himself to keep driving, keep going and keep smashing.

The battle with colorectal cancer, which required surgery to remove cancerous cells and part of his large intestine, hardened him rather than diminished him.

In July this year, he became the oldest player – at 36 years and 200 days – to win a Super 1000 title, beating France’s Toma Junior Popov in a gruelling 64-minute final at the China Open.

Behind Chou’s unwavering commitment, match fitness and agile movement is Victoria Kao, his longtime physiotherapist and biggest supporter. During every interval, she is at his side, sprinting courtside with whatever he needs – a sports drink, a towel, a change of shirt or a quick massage to keep his body going.

Despite being with Chou for 14 years now, even Victoria finds it hard to comprehend how he continues to maintain such incredible consistency. It is natural to be intrigued, especially when many players train hard and remain dedicated to the game, yet see their sharpness wane and eventually struggle to match the speed and agility of youngsters – but not Chou, who is chasing history as he bids to become the first Chinese Taipei player to win World Championships gold.

“I think that is amazing grace. I think it is magic. Miracle. I want to say miracle,” she emphasised in response to a question from Sports Now.

But even Chou, for all his greatness, is not immune to self-doubt. That is where Victoria’s role becomes crucial.

“I just say, take a break. You are doing very well. Because I am not a coach, I just a physio, I am an assistant.

I offer all my support to him. Sometimes he made it himself, he thinks he is not good enough. I say, no, do not think about that. You just relax and enjoy. Yes, you are doing very well,” Victoria told the media.

Victoria’s presence on the coach’s chair during Chou’s matches is a rare sight. Top players do not prefer to have their physios on the bench. But there is a thoughtful reason behind Chou’s unusual move, she explained. “He is a player, but he has a brain just like a coach,” she stated. “He has a professional vision. So he teaches me first and then I remember the details. And then when I have a seat there. I am like, oh, that is what he said, this communication, this chance. So I tell him what he told me.”

That mindset also underpins Chou’s belief that he does not need a coach to solve his on-court problems. “It’s not about a coach, it’s about yourself. The coach talks to you about your problem. I know my real problem. That is how I improve,” Chou told BWF in a 2019 interview.

After an almost two-decade-long career, he remains uncluttered and does not let his mind get bogged down by overthinking his problems. His biggest motivation is the calibre of his opponents.

“I just keep pressure. I know he’s really fast so I need to be fast. So he got pressure from that. That way I got some points on the net maybe with some smashes. So I just did it,” Chou said after his win over Indonesia’s young upstart, Farhan.

Despite the age difference, Chou put up a great fight. The sixth seed cut down the space for Farhan, who came into the match on the back of a morale-boosting win over India’s Ayush Shetty, denying him the chance to unleash his speedy shots. “Alwi is a good player and I wanted to make sure that I don’t give him a chance to use his speed on me,” said Chou of his strategy.

Standing between Chou and his pursuit of a better-coloured medal is another youngster – 25-year-old Kodai Naraoka of Japan, whom he has beaten six times in eight meetings.