Good times: Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik celebrate after winning bronze at the Paris Olympic Games. – Bernama
PETALING JAYA: To get a good start is tough but to have a strong finish is even harder.
Paris Olympic Games medal winners Lee Zii Jia, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik are well aware of it but they are all equally fired-up to wrap up the last leg of the season with creditable performance.
They will take part in the Arctic Open in Vantaa, Finland next week and followed by the Denmark Open from Oct 15-20. Other events in the list are the Korean Masters (Nov 5-10), Japan Masters (Nov 12-17) and China Masters (Nov 19-24).
The season will end with the World Tour Finals (Dec 11-15) but for now, only Zii Jia is in the running out of the three.
The trio are even more motivated after receiving monetary boost from their sponsors 100Plus, which is Malaysia’s No. 1 isotonic beverage, yesterday.
“We just want to thank 100Plus for supporting us over the past few years and we are still going strong as their ambassadors. Their incentive for our Olympics medal is a big booster and serves as motivation for us,” said Aaron.
Aaron-Wooi Yik, who reached the All-England final in March and won their second consecutive bronze in Paris, received RM150,000, while Lee Zii Jia was handed RM100,000 for finishing third and ending an eight-year wait to deliver a singles medal, which was last won by Lee Chong Wei (silver at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro edition).
Aaron can’t wait to resume his partnership with Wooi Yik after skipping the Opens in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and China following the latter’s toe injury, picked up at the Olympics.
“Everything is good with our preparation. We will continue to fight hard for victories,” said a determined Aaron.
Wooi Yik, who won the Denmark Open last year with Aaron, said they were eager to restore confidence after a long break.
“We want to win to get our confidence back and continue with our form from the Olympics and see how my condition will be in Finland and Denmark,” said Wooi Yik, who is fitter after returning to full-time training two weeks ago.
World No. 5 Zii Jia, who did well in the first half of the year by winning the Thailand Open and Australian Open, before adding the bronze at the Olympics, is looking forward to ending the year on a high.
“I hope I can repeat what I have done last year in Finland and Denmark. Not just for my achievement, not just for my result but also for my ranking points which I need to maintain,” said Zii Jia, who won the Arctic Open and reach the Denmark Open final last year.
“I really appreciate what 100Plus is doing, not just the money, also for their support since I was 19 until today despite leaving the Badminton Association of Malaysia,” he said.
“Three tournaments alone cost RM100,000. I believe I need to show results first (to get more sponsors).
Meanwhile, Leong Wai Yin, the marketing director of F&N beverages marketing Sdn Bhd, was pleased with their great ambassadors.
“We are proud of all our brand ambassadors and hope to see them perform even better in the future.
“We are confident these ambassadors will inspire and encourage young Malaysians to aspire to be successful world-class athletes,” added Wai Yin at the presentation ceremony, which was attended by Azrul Hisyam Abdul Jalil, director of athlete division, of the National Sports Council.
