ants
03-27-2006, 07:02 PM
March 28
TheStar
MELBOURNE: MALAYSIAN shuttlers led by Lee Chong Wei passed the test in their first major event this year – the Melbourne Commonwealth Games – with flying colours.
Now, the focus is to record a similar success story in the Thomas Cup Finals in Japan from April 28-May 7.
In Melbourne, the shuttlers created history when they put up a smashing show to capture four gold medals for the first time in the Games series.
CONFIDENT MOOD: The Malaysians who dominated the Commonwealth Games badminton competition (from left) Chan Chong Ming, Wong Choong Hann, Choong Tan Fook, Koo Kien Keat and Lee Chong Wei.
After disappointments in other major events – the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Manila SEA Games and this year's All-England, Chong Wei finally showed his mettle, confidently clinched the men's singles gold medal on his Games debut.
“I liked to put a lot of pressure on myself and that had affected me greatly in some big events in the past. But now, I know how to handle it,” said the 24-year-old Chong Wei.
He had the greatest opportunity to win the gold at the Manila SEA Games but he went down tamely to Indonesia's third ranked Simon Santoso in the semi-finals.
“My focus is on the Thomas Cup Finals now. I will be playing as the first singles for the first time and I will be ready for that huge responsibility.”
The other gold medallists in Melbourne were Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat (men's doubles) and Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty (women's doubles). Malaysia also won the mixed team gold for the first time.
The badminton squad also won three silver medals – Wong Choon Hann-Choong Tan Fook (men's doubles), Choong Hann (men's singles) and Wong Mew Choo (women's singles).
The players were greeted on their arrival at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport by Badminton Association of Malaysia president Datuk Nadzmi Salleh yesterday.
National chief coach Yap Kim Hock said there would not be any celebration as the players have to get back to work.
“The players lived up to the expectations in Melbourne. The results showed that the players adjusted well to the new scoring system (21-point of best-of-three games),” said Kim Hock.
“But the Thomas Cup Finals is just around the corner. I believe we have a strong chance to challenge for the Cup this time.”
The preparation for the Thomas Cup Finals has already laid out. They will spend two weeks in Sarawak from April 5-17.
A week before the Finals, they would leave for Japan to get acclimatised.
“Initially, we wanted to have our centralised camp in South Korea but we changed the plan after the draw was released. We may meet South Korea or Indonesia in the quarter-finals and it would not be right to train there,” said Kim Hock.
Kim Hock is now even considering withdrawing Malaysians from the Asian Badminton Championships (ABC) starting tomorrow in Johor Baru.
“China and Indonesia are not sending their players. We have already withdrawn Choong Hann and Kien Keat-Chong Ming. It is too close and we do not want to tire the players.”
On the selection of the players for the Finals, Kim Hock said: “We will wait for BAM's coaching and training committee to endorse the team. We have decided on the men's singles but we are still fiddling with the selection of the men doubles.”
Malaysia are expected to name four singles and six doubles players for the Finals.
The four singles players set to make the trip to Japan are Chong Wei, Choong Hann, Mohd Hafiz Hashim and Kuan Beng Hong.
The two men pairs assured of places in the squad are Chong Ming-Kien Keat and Tan Fook-Wan Wah. The other spot could be a tussle among the back-up pairs Lin Woon Fui-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari and Gan Teik Chai-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif.
Malaysia last won the Thomas Cup in 1992.
TheStar
MELBOURNE: MALAYSIAN shuttlers led by Lee Chong Wei passed the test in their first major event this year – the Melbourne Commonwealth Games – with flying colours.
Now, the focus is to record a similar success story in the Thomas Cup Finals in Japan from April 28-May 7.
In Melbourne, the shuttlers created history when they put up a smashing show to capture four gold medals for the first time in the Games series.
CONFIDENT MOOD: The Malaysians who dominated the Commonwealth Games badminton competition (from left) Chan Chong Ming, Wong Choong Hann, Choong Tan Fook, Koo Kien Keat and Lee Chong Wei.
After disappointments in other major events – the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Manila SEA Games and this year's All-England, Chong Wei finally showed his mettle, confidently clinched the men's singles gold medal on his Games debut.
“I liked to put a lot of pressure on myself and that had affected me greatly in some big events in the past. But now, I know how to handle it,” said the 24-year-old Chong Wei.
He had the greatest opportunity to win the gold at the Manila SEA Games but he went down tamely to Indonesia's third ranked Simon Santoso in the semi-finals.
“My focus is on the Thomas Cup Finals now. I will be playing as the first singles for the first time and I will be ready for that huge responsibility.”
The other gold medallists in Melbourne were Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat (men's doubles) and Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty (women's doubles). Malaysia also won the mixed team gold for the first time.
The badminton squad also won three silver medals – Wong Choon Hann-Choong Tan Fook (men's doubles), Choong Hann (men's singles) and Wong Mew Choo (women's singles).
The players were greeted on their arrival at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport by Badminton Association of Malaysia president Datuk Nadzmi Salleh yesterday.
National chief coach Yap Kim Hock said there would not be any celebration as the players have to get back to work.
“The players lived up to the expectations in Melbourne. The results showed that the players adjusted well to the new scoring system (21-point of best-of-three games),” said Kim Hock.
“But the Thomas Cup Finals is just around the corner. I believe we have a strong chance to challenge for the Cup this time.”
The preparation for the Thomas Cup Finals has already laid out. They will spend two weeks in Sarawak from April 5-17.
A week before the Finals, they would leave for Japan to get acclimatised.
“Initially, we wanted to have our centralised camp in South Korea but we changed the plan after the draw was released. We may meet South Korea or Indonesia in the quarter-finals and it would not be right to train there,” said Kim Hock.
Kim Hock is now even considering withdrawing Malaysians from the Asian Badminton Championships (ABC) starting tomorrow in Johor Baru.
“China and Indonesia are not sending their players. We have already withdrawn Choong Hann and Kien Keat-Chong Ming. It is too close and we do not want to tire the players.”
On the selection of the players for the Finals, Kim Hock said: “We will wait for BAM's coaching and training committee to endorse the team. We have decided on the men's singles but we are still fiddling with the selection of the men doubles.”
Malaysia are expected to name four singles and six doubles players for the Finals.
The four singles players set to make the trip to Japan are Chong Wei, Choong Hann, Mohd Hafiz Hashim and Kuan Beng Hong.
The two men pairs assured of places in the squad are Chong Ming-Kien Keat and Tan Fook-Wan Wah. The other spot could be a tussle among the back-up pairs Lin Woon Fui-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari and Gan Teik Chai-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif.
Malaysia last won the Thomas Cup in 1992.