Karin Schnaase

Karin Schnaase-Beermann is enjoying her time after top-level badminton

Karin Schnaase-Beermann has already experienced a lot: participation in the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, many trips to tournaments all over the world, countless Bundesliga matches, wedding... "That was all great, no question. But the birth of our daughter topped it all," she says, looking at little Line in love. "It's a completely different life now."

While everything used to revolve around badminton, her daughter is now the center of her life. Can she live without badminton? "I'm often asked that," says Karin Schnaase-Beermann with a smile. "People say you were always so crazy about sport." But it's going quite well at the moment. "I'm doing regression. But that's all the sport I do. There's no time for anything else." Instead, she is enjoying her time with her daughter to the full.

Olympics once

Karin Schnaase-Beermann looks back on the Olympics with gratitude. She had actually already retired from top-class sport at the time. "Somehow things weren't really moving forward. My job and sport were running side by side. I couldn't really concentrate on either of them. The NRW Sports Foundation then put me in touch with Hupfer Metallwerke in Coesfeld and both gave me the perfect combination of job and competitive sport with the aim of qualifying for the Olympic Games, and I'm incredibly grateful to them for that, because I wouldn't have started again without this cooperation."

"And the Olympic Games were so great," enthuses the athlete from Lüdinghausen. "For one thing, it was the highlight of my sporting career. I had worked meticulously towards this for a year. But the whole surrounding experience is also unforgettable: life in the Olympic village, the people I got to know."

Crazy about badminton

She is still in contact with many of her teammates and opponents around the world. "Two teammates from the national team are among my closest friends," says the 33-year-old. She also has a dear badminton friend in Scotland. And it was through her Danish opponent Line Højmark Kjærsfeldt that she first came into contact with the great first name "Line", which her daughter now also has.

Everyone in Lüdinghausen knows that Karin Schnaase-Beermann comes from an absolutely badminton-crazy family. The name Schnaase is inextricably linked to the sport of badminton. Dad Michael is a multiple German champion and European senior champion. He and mom Barbara even met in the badminton hall. The whole family, including her two brothers and their families, were also at the Olympics. "I'm glad that my husband comes from a different sport. It's nice to talk about something else for a change. Of course, he's now also crazy about badminton."

Coach

Karin Schnaase-Beermann has not yet decided what to do with badminton. She could imagine getting into the coaching business later on and promoting young talent. "Union Lüdinghausen has given me so much. I want to give something back." She also sees from her parents how much work is involved in organizing a Bundesliga match. "I can imagine helping out there too," she says.

In any case, she feels very close to Lüdinghausen. "My husband and I always go away for the weekend and visit cities. Ultimately, however, we always agree that what we like is what we have at home. Lüdinghausen is simply beautiful." Nadine Wenge