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Tuesday July 22, 2008

Badminton: Kim Hock tells shuttlers to be prepared for hostile atmosphere

KUALA LUMPUR: China have sounded their intention to make a clean sweep of the five badminton gold medals at stake in the Beijing Olympics. And their opponents can expect an unfriendly atmosphere when they play against Chinese shuttlers.

Malaysian Olympic-bound shuttlers assembled for centralised training at the Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara yesterday but national chief coach Yap Kim Hock said that they had no plans to have simulation matches.

“We (the coaches) have discussed it but we felt it was not necessary because it is not a team competition. Moreover, all the players have had experience playing and doing well in China,” he said.

“It is also difficult to get a crowd to create the simulated atmosphere. We also do not know the conditions at the competition venue until we arrive there.”

The Olympic badminton competitions begin on Aug 9 and the Malaysian shuttlers will leave on Aug 5.

“We have made a request to the organisers to train at the competition venue from Aug 6 but they have yet to get back to us,” said Kim Hock.

“We have already made court bookings at an alternative venue in case we do not get to train at the competition venue immediately after we arrive.

“There is plenty of time because the players will not be playing everyday as each individual round is spread out over at least two days.”

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