Nhat Nguyen: ‘I try to do homework but my teachers know my focus is badminton so they’re lenient’

Nhat Nguyen (17) is already a two-time Irish senior badminton champion and, though still in school, plays for a professional team in Germany. He lives in Clare Hall, Dublin and trains at the National Badminton Centre in Marino. In 2016 he was European U17 champion and also won bronze in the doubles. This year he reached the quarter-finals of the World Junior Championships.

Q: Nhat you have a lovely Dublin accent but that’s not a traditional Irish name. What is your family heritage?

A: It’s Vietnamese. My parents came here from Vietnam in 2006 when I was four. I have one sister (Tham) who is older than me who competed for Ireland at weightlifting. My first name is pronounced Nat, with a silent ‘h’, and all I know is my mam named me after a singer!