[size=-1]The Star Online > Sports[/size] Tuesday July 27, 2004 [size=+2]Soon Kit wants Kim Hock to take over training of Eei Hui-Pei Tty[/size] BY RAJES PAUL KUALA LUMPUR: Women’s doubles coach Cheah Soon Kit is considering handing over the task of training Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty to national doubles chief coach Yap Kim Hock as soon as possible. Eei Hui-Pei Tty are in the final phase of their preparation for the Athens Olympics badminton competition, which will be held from Aug 14-21. Soon Kit, who learnt two weeks ago that he would not be accompanying the girls to Athens, said that he informed Kim Hock about his intention yesterday and was waiting for a reply. Women's doubles coach Cheah Soon Kit intends to hand over the task of training his charges Wong Pei Tty (front) and Chin Eei Hui to national doubles coach Yap Kim Hock. “I want the best for my players. I will not be with them when they leave for Athens on Aug 8. They will be under the charge of Kim Hock,†said Soon Kit, after a training session at the Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara yesterday. “I am done with them on conditioning work and they are physically in top form. The next two weeks will be on tactical and court training. Kim Hock will be taking charge of them in Athens and it is better for them to get used to his ways. “If he feels that it is best that I coach the players until they leave for Athens, I will do so.†Soon Kit and Kim Hock are the best Malaysian performers in the Olympics thus far. They were the men’s doubles silver medallists at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Both of them quit competitive badminton after a second round defeat in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. They rejoined the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) as coaches in 2003. The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) secretary general, Datuk Sieh Kok Chi, said that the BAM were only allowed to have three officials – two coaches and a team manager – for the Games. The BAM named Kim Hock and national singles chief coach Misbun Sidek as the coaches and Lim Teong Keat as the manager. A total of 26 athletes from 10 sports have qualified for the Games and they will be accompanied by a total of 25 officials. Besides the chef-de-mission, Datuk Dr M. Jegathesan, the other officials in the contingent include nine coaches, seven team managers, two physiotherapist and six members of the Malaysian Olympic secretariat.
