preparation malaysian doubles

Olympic-bound doubles players go to Sarawak for mental training

Source: The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s Olympic-bound national doubles badminton players left for Mount Santubong in Kuching yesterday for a four-day mental, self-confidence and team building programme.

Malaysia will be represented by two men’s pairs – Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah and Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng – and the women’s pair of Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty in the Athens Olympics in August.

Chong Ming-Choon Eng and Eei Hui-Pei Tty will be making their Olympic debut. For Tan Fook-Wan Wah, it will be their second appearance after Sydney 2000 where they were beaten by South Koreans Kim Dong-moon-Ha Tae-kwon in the playoff for the bronze medal.


GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER: Wong Pei Tty (left) and Chin Ee Hui left for Mount Santubong yesterday for a training stint in the run-up to the Athens Olympic Games in August.
National doubles chief coach Yap Kim Hock said that the stint at the Camp Permai would strengthen the players’ mental approach to the Olympics.

“Before we go into full swing in training for the Athens Games, we decided that it was best to psyche up the players first. And we decided to take them away from home,” said Kim Hock.

“It is important to be mentally strong during the Olympics and I do not want to see our players buckle under pressure during crucial moments in their matches.”

Kim Hock said that the programme would also include building the player’s trust on their partner’s abilities, communication skills and discovering oneself.

“Besides motivation classes and activities to improve their mental strength prepared by the NSC’s (National Sports Council) mental trainer (Frederick Tan), the players will also be involved in trekking at Santubong,” he said.

“The players will also be analysing their recent performances in the Thomas-Uber Cup Finals. They will also view their performances against several top players to identify their weaknesses.

“We have brought along an official from the NSC, Yap Soon Lee, to help out the players in this area.

“Hopefully, this four-day stint at a scenic and quiet place will motivate the players to achieve excellence in the Olympics.”

Since badminton was introduced in the Olympics in 1992, Malaysia have won a bronze through Razif-Jalani Sidek (Barcelona 1992); a silver through Kim Hock-Cheah Soon Kit and a bronze through Rashid Sidek (Atlanta 1996).

In Athens, besides the three doubles pairs, Malaysia will also be represented in the men’s singles by Wong Choong Hann, Mohd Roslin Hashim and Lee Chong Wei.