Monday December 31, 2012
Former star Soon Kit sees potential in youngster Guang Yik
By PHUAH EU JIN
KUALA LUMPUR: Cheah Soon Kit is not generous when it come to giving out praises.
The former international shuttler, however, was magnanimous to 16-year-old Bong Guang Yik, a trainee under the Senheng-Samsung Junior Badminton scholarship programme at the Looi Badminton Academy (LBA) in Old Klang Road.
“He (Guang Yik) is hardworking. And he always takes the opportunity to ask his coach on how to improve his game,” said Soon Kit, who is the LBA chief coach.
“Nothing is impossible for Guang Yik. As long as he tries his best, he will excel in the future, including the Olympics,” added the former Thomas Cup winner.
Guang Yik did not let Soon Kit down this year as he capped his season by winning the Most Outstanding Talent award at LBA’s inaugural annual dinner on Saturday.
He managed to bag several regional and international titles, including the Under-18 titles at the Selangor Schools Championships and Zenne Championship.
At the SS Junior Championships, he won the boys’ Open crown. In the Bangkok Master Series in Thailand last Tuesday, he won the Under-16 title.
And Guang Yik plans to win more titles next year.
“There is plenty of room for improvement. I’m still on a learning curve. I hope to do well in the international tournaments. The standard is higher and the competition is tougher. For now I am trying to hone my skills and improve my game,” said the right-hander from Malacca.
On the RM1mil offer by Senheng Electric (KL) and Samsung to the LBA player who wins a gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, Guang Yik said: “Winning the gold is a bit far fetched now. But it is one of my targets.
“It’s everyone’s dream to win an Olympic gold and I hope I am the one to achieve it.”
- Yongbo: Beat us if you can, not good for China to win all the time
- Indonesian Rexy's advise to M'sian team: Stick together as a family
- Thai Ratchanok wins many hearts with her gritty display
- Squash:M'sian Nicol beats New Zealander in straight sets to reach last four
- Basketball: Warriors have no problem taming Dragons in Jakarta
- MSSM meet: 15 records in five days augur well for M’sian athletics
- National hockey juniors fare badly in tourney
- Woman Natasha racer bids for first MSS win with her father
- Pirelli tyre-d of F1 and announce they are ready to quit
- MHC: No way we will scrap age-group tournaments
- Squash: Matthew offers a message with a warning
- Golf: Molinari leads but Ryder Cup colleagues crash out
- Tennis: Djokovic blocks Nadal path to Paris super eight
- Donald bemoans 'terrible' display as he exits PGA
- Rudisha resists quick buck for gold rush in Rio
- Racing legend Prost rejects calls for F1 overhaul
- Selangor Hockey Association to hold two-day trials
- Woman Natasha racer bids for first MSS win with her father
- Silver Arrows dominate, but Rosberg prefers to stay humble
- Ben excited to make comeback after a long injury lay-off
RSS
