This is the first in our weeklong series “Racing Toward Paris,” where we take a closer look at Team USA athletes and their sports ahead of the Paris Olympics.

When twins Annie and Kerry Xu were around 8 years old their parents gave them a choice: continue practicing ice skating, which they were excelling at, or select another sport that they’d like even more. 

Their pick? Badminton.

“I can’t remember where exactly it was because we were eight, but I just remember the ambiance was pretty nice and as an 8 year old, I was like ‘this place was so cool. I feel I would like this sport just because of the place we were in,’” Kerry Xu told Straight Arrow News.

And once they picked up that badminton racquet, Kerry said, “We really liked it, so there was no looking back.”

Now, it’s time to look ahead as the 24-year-old twin sisters from San Jose, California embark on their first Olympic Games.

As teens, they competed in junior and national tournaments where they would hear from their coaches they had what it took to one day make the Olympics. But the sisters took their time, making sure they were fully prepared for the journey ahead.

They got jobs to fund their goal and earned an education, graduating from UC Berkeley while putting athletics somewhat on hold until it was time to focus on their Olympic dreams. 

“In 2022, after we had worked for a year and saved up a little bit of money and with our parents’ support, we decided to take that leap of faith and just go for it because we didn’t want to have any regrets later in the life,” Annie Xu said.

After qualifying for their first Olympic Games, the twins felt a mix of immense joy and relief. 

They are going into the Olympics with an underdog mentality, leaving unnecessary pressure at the door while being ready to expect the unexpected.  They said their top priority is to have fun.

The sisters will have their family cheering them on in the stands.

“That will inspire us to be fearless on the court and really go for it,” Annie said.

Annie and Kerry said they used to watch badminton players on their TV growing up, idols who inspired them, but now they are the ones who will be inspiring the next generation.

“I think it would mean a lot to us, just because when we were growing up, yes, we had idols but most of them were from a different country where badminton was more supported,” Annie said. “So for young girls in the states and other countries to look at two badminton players from the United States who really made it and inspire them to take a journey similar to ours would mean the world to us.”

“It would be really cool if there were young girls who look at us and then make that Olympic dream theirs and have that to strive for growing up,” Kerry said. “It would be heartwarming for us.”