PETALING JAYA: No Malaysian doubles pairs will be seeded at the Paris Olympic Games but national coaching director Rexy Mainaky remains hopeful for the underdogs to shine.
The highly intense competition in the doubles scene over the last few years has made it almost difficult to predict the outcome in major events but it has also turned into a blessing in disguise for the lower ranked pairs.
At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Taiwan’s men’s doubles pair Lee Yang-Wang Chi-lin became the country’s first ever gold medallist in badminton while Greysia Polii-Apriyani Rahayu became Indonesia’s maiden winners in the women’s doubles.
Both pairs were unseeded in the tournament and likewise, Malaysia’s three representatives in the doubles – men’s doubles Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (No. 5), women’s doubles Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah (No. 13) and mixed doubles Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (No. 9) – will be hoping to spring some surprises.
Only four pairs are seeded in the doubles and the rest of the 12 pairs will be drawn randomly in four groups with the top two advancing to the quarter-finals.
While Aaron-Wooi Yik should not face much problems seeking their place in the last eight despite being unseeded, Pearly-Thinaah and Tang Jie-Ee Wei will face a formidable task in surviving the group stage.
However, Rexy has urged his charges to take the past results of the underdogs as a motivation to advance to the knockout stage.
“Hope is always there for every shuttler at the Olympics. Higher or lower ranked, seeded or not, I regard all as equal,” said Rexy.
“Until 2012 Olympics, it is easier to predict the outcome of the medals winners but it is not the same anymore.
“Now all pairs are equal since the 2012 Olympics, the favourites for gold can even stumble in the semi-finals.
“For example, Pearly-Thinaah’s world ranking will not help them to get a good draw. They are aware of it and ready to face that situation where they will have two strong opponents in their group.
“If they can still go through to the knockout stage, this will boost their confidence. The Olympics is all about how the athletes handle themselves and the pressure of competing against the best.
“I don’t want our athletes to put themselves down but just stay relaxed. This can help the shuttlers to play to their true abilities.”
Rexy firmly believes all three Malaysian pairs have the chance to stand on the podium if they can consider themselves as winners and show the hunger to fight all the way for success.
