PETALING JAYA: National coaching director Rexy Mainaky feels that four out of the five Malaysian representatives in badminton stand a chance of winning medals in the Paris Olympics.
They are Lee Zii Jia (men’s singles), Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (men’s doubles), Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah (women’s doubles) and Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (mixed doubles).
Rexy feels that independent women’s singles player Goh Jin Wei (pic) will face a tougher task than the others in Paris due to her physical condition.
Jin Wei has struggled with fitness issues ever since undergoing colectomy surgery in 2019 due to a stomach ailment.
“I can see that everyone except Jin Wei has a chance to win medals,” said Rexy, who has been overseeing the preparations of the three doubles pairs in the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).
“I’m not downplaying Jin Wei’s abilities but her chances will be tough because of her physical issues.”
Rexy then acknowledged that the elusive gold was the ultimate target but does not want to put too much pressure on the players.
“Everyone knows that we are trying to win gold. But we can’t afford to want it too badly or we might end up missing out,” stressed Rexy. “As long as the players know what they want, then that’s good enough.”
Malaysia have come close to winning the coveted gold in badminton many times, especially through former great Datuk Lee Chong Wei.
Chong Wei had to settle for silver three times in the 2008 Beijing, 2012 London and 2016 Rio de Janeiro editions.
He lost to China’s Lin Dan in the final in 2008 and 2012 before being denied by the latter’s compatriot Chen Long in 2016.
Men’s doubles pairs Cheah Soon Kit-Yap Kim Hock (1996), Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong (2016) and mixed doubles duo Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying (2016) were the other shuttlers who came close to winning the country’s first gold before coming away with silver.
World No. 4 Aaron-Wooi Yik, who won bronze in their debut in the 2021 Tokyo Games, will be Malaysia’s best bet to capture gold along with world No. 7 independent player Zii Jia.
