Born in Anshan, China, Beiwen Zhang grew up with a singular focus on badminton. Her parents put a badminton racket in Beiwen’s hands when she was just five. Her talent shone brightly, and she quickly rose through the ranks of China's highly competitive junior badminton scene.
At 13, Zhang was chosen to train at the prestigious national team in Beijing, but destiny had other plans. Family tragedy struck, and Zhang was forced to move to the United States.
