Smart and sassy: Chen Tang Jie (left) and Toh Ee Wei posing for the camera after the World Tour Finals in Hangzhou last week.
PETALING JAYA: While many athletes are looking forward to having some time to rest and relax at the end of the year, mixed doubles shuttlers Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei are not taking their foot off the gas.
Instead, Tang Jie-Ee Wei are using the break from tournaments to push themselves harder in training in a bid to be in top shape next year.
“We had a three-day break where we spent some time with our families and now we are back in training,” said Ee Wei.
“We really don’t want to rest for a long time. We didn’t have much time to train this year as we had to play in many tournaments. So, we are using this time we have now to go all out in training.”
Tang Jie-Ee Wei, who were only combined last December, are keen to build on their encouraging year by making the cut for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The duo are currently ranked No. 9 in the world and need to stay in the top 16 by the end of the Olympic qualifying period in April next year to be assured of a spot. They are the top ranked Malaysian pair in the running for the spot right now.
“We only have about 10 tournaments until the end of April and we need to maintain our performances until then,” said Ee Wei.
“We are in the top 10 now but we are still inconsistent. So, we are looking at ways to improve ourselves.
“The other pairs in the top 10 have been playing much longer than us. It will take time to become more consistent.”
Tang Jie-Ee Wei will begin their 2024 campaign at home in the Malaysian Open from Jan 9-14 in Bukit Jalil.
The pair have a tricky opening round tie against world No. 11 Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue of France.
The French duo were ranked as high as No. 5 in the beginning of the year.
Based on the head-to-head records, both pairs are evenly matched after winning a match each.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei came out on top against Gicquel-Delrue in the third round of the World Championships in August but lost to the latter in the semi-finals of the China Open a month later.
“It will not be an easy match for us for sure as you can see in the head-to-head records,” said Ee Wei.
“We will not think too much and will just give our best.”
A win over the French pair will likely see Tang Jie-Ee Wei face Japan’s world No. 13 Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito in the second round.
The other home representatives in the mixed doubles are Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie, Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing and Chan Peng Soon-Cheah Yee See.
