Tuesday September 18, 2012

Kim Wah set for 11th partner as BAM switch and swap

KUALA LUMPUR: Doubles shuttler Lim Khim Wah is set to get yet another partner – his 11th to be exact – as the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) switch and swap in a desperate bid to come up with viable combinations.

Tomorrow, the BAM exco will endorse a new line-up for the men’s doubles with Khim Wah and his other half, Goh V Shem, to be given new partners.

BAM will also reveal the new pairings for Olympic semi-finalists Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong.

The management may pair Boon Heong with V Shem and Kien Keat with Khim Wah. There is also a possibility of Khim Wah being teamed up with one of the juniors from the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS).

The 24-year-old Khim Wah, who has played with V Shem for more than a year, said he was ready to play with anyone.

“I have reached a stage where I’m receptive to any decision. I prefer not to comment about all these changes,” said Khim Wah.

“Whoever it is, I hope we will last until the next Olympics (Rio 2016). I’m ready for a fresh start. I’m quick to adapt and the immediate task is to get cracking with my new partner.”

Prior to V Shem, the diminutive Khim Wah played with Chan Peng Soon, Teo Kok Siang, Tan Wee Kiong, Tan Bin Shen, Ong Jian Guo, Mak Hee Chun, Kuan Kam Chung, Hoon Thien How and Chooi Kah Ming in different stages of his badminton career.

His best result was winning the Thailand Open with Peng Soon in 2010.

V Shem had, earlier this month, spoken of his incompatibility with Khim Wah and doubted that they could break into the top five in the world because of their inconsistent performances. For speaking his mind, BAM dropped the world No. 24 pair from the China Masters and Japan Open.

V Shem and Khim Wah are currently the country’s second pair behind Kien Keat and Boon Heong.

With so many of their switch-and-swap exercises proving to be a failure in the past, BAM are expected to put a lot of thought in their new doubles line-up as they seek to establish pairs capable of winning medals at the Rio Olympic Games.

BAM have already dropped Mak Hee Chun and Vountus Indra Mawan from the squad. Their respective partners, Teo Kok Siang and Mohd Lutfi Zaim Abdul Khalid, will be playing together as a pair now.

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