ants
10-30-2005, 05:36 PM
31st OCt '05
TheStar
PETALING JAYA: The top Malaysian shuttlers, including national number one Lee Chong Wei and the doubles pair of Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat, will sit out the China and Taiwan Opens next month to concentrate on preparations for the challenges against traditional rivals Indonesia in the Manila SEA Games.
Chief coach Yap Kim Hock said that preparations for the Games would take top priority after the shuttlers returned from the Hong Kong Open which begins on Wednesday.
The China Open will be played the following week and the Taiwan Open is from Nov 16-20. The SEA Games badminton competitions will be staged from Nov 28-Dec 3.
“I do not want to risk any of the key players to injuries because they are down to play not only in the individual but also the team events at the Games,” said Kim Hock, who left for Hong Kong yesterday.
“We have less than three weeks’ of training after the Hong Kong Open and it is important for them to be in top condition to challenge for the gold medals in Manila.”
Veterans Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah and reserve player Chew Choon Eng will be the only Manila-bound doubles players competing in the China Open.
The SEA Games target for the badminton team is to win three gold medals and it is not an easy one to achieve as Indonesia will also be represented by their strongest side.
The Indonesians, who fielded an understrength side at the last Games in Vietnam, have announced their intention to win three out of the seven gold medals at stake and they will definitely start as the favourites to emerge as the champions in the men's team and mixed doubles events.
World and Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat is in the men's team and the Indonesians also have world number one and World Championships mixed doubles gold medallists Nova Widianto-Lilyana Natsir in their ranks.
Asian Championships winner Sony Dwi Kuncoro will defend his men's singles title and the other Indonesian entry is Simon Santoso.
Indonesia will be banking on world number three pair Luluk Hadiyanto-Alven Yulianto and Indonesian Open champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan to vie for honours in the men's doubles.
Meanwhile, Kim Hock heaved a sigh of relief after learning the outcome of the medical reports that stated that the injuries to second singles player Mohd Hafiz Hashim and women's doubles player Wong Pei Tty were not serious.
Hafiz and Pei Tty, who sustained injuries in the recent Danish Open, will be on rehabilitation next week and they should recover in time for the SEA Games.
“Indonesia are fielding their first team. Hafiz's presence will boost our chances of winning the men's team event while Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui are gold medal prospects in the women's doubles,” said Kim Hock.
“They will not be playing in any competition ahead of the SEA Games and I hope they will regain full fitness by the time we leave for Manila.”
For the record, Malaysia bagged two gold medals in Vietnam through Tan Fook-Wan Wah and women's singles player Wong Mew Choo.
TheStar
PETALING JAYA: The top Malaysian shuttlers, including national number one Lee Chong Wei and the doubles pair of Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat, will sit out the China and Taiwan Opens next month to concentrate on preparations for the challenges against traditional rivals Indonesia in the Manila SEA Games.
Chief coach Yap Kim Hock said that preparations for the Games would take top priority after the shuttlers returned from the Hong Kong Open which begins on Wednesday.
The China Open will be played the following week and the Taiwan Open is from Nov 16-20. The SEA Games badminton competitions will be staged from Nov 28-Dec 3.
“I do not want to risk any of the key players to injuries because they are down to play not only in the individual but also the team events at the Games,” said Kim Hock, who left for Hong Kong yesterday.
“We have less than three weeks’ of training after the Hong Kong Open and it is important for them to be in top condition to challenge for the gold medals in Manila.”
Veterans Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah and reserve player Chew Choon Eng will be the only Manila-bound doubles players competing in the China Open.
The SEA Games target for the badminton team is to win three gold medals and it is not an easy one to achieve as Indonesia will also be represented by their strongest side.
The Indonesians, who fielded an understrength side at the last Games in Vietnam, have announced their intention to win three out of the seven gold medals at stake and they will definitely start as the favourites to emerge as the champions in the men's team and mixed doubles events.
World and Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat is in the men's team and the Indonesians also have world number one and World Championships mixed doubles gold medallists Nova Widianto-Lilyana Natsir in their ranks.
Asian Championships winner Sony Dwi Kuncoro will defend his men's singles title and the other Indonesian entry is Simon Santoso.
Indonesia will be banking on world number three pair Luluk Hadiyanto-Alven Yulianto and Indonesian Open champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan to vie for honours in the men's doubles.
Meanwhile, Kim Hock heaved a sigh of relief after learning the outcome of the medical reports that stated that the injuries to second singles player Mohd Hafiz Hashim and women's doubles player Wong Pei Tty were not serious.
Hafiz and Pei Tty, who sustained injuries in the recent Danish Open, will be on rehabilitation next week and they should recover in time for the SEA Games.
“Indonesia are fielding their first team. Hafiz's presence will boost our chances of winning the men's team event while Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui are gold medal prospects in the women's doubles,” said Kim Hock.
“They will not be playing in any competition ahead of the SEA Games and I hope they will regain full fitness by the time we leave for Manila.”
For the record, Malaysia bagged two gold medals in Vietnam through Tan Fook-Wan Wah and women's singles player Wong Mew Choo.