Sports Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob (centre) speaks to athletes after giving away the Olympic qualifying incentives in Putrajaya yesterday. — Pic: RAMDZAN MASIAM
Thomas Cup Equally Important, Says Ismail
PUTRAJAYA, April 23 (Bernama) -- Although Malaysia want badly a badminton gold at the Beijing Olympics in August, winning the Thomas Cup in Jakarta in May is equally important, said Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
"My ministry deems all events participated by the national badminton squad as important including the Thomas Cup, which Malaysia last won in 1992.
"Statements made that the Beijing Olympics takes precedence over other events is not the position of the ministry," he told reporters at his office here today.
Ismail said no matter what events Malaysians competed, seeking glory for the nation should be the overriding priority.
He said this when asked to comment on remarks by national badminton chief coach Yap Kim Hock on Monday that the focus of the team this year was winning Malaysia's first badminton Olympic gold.
"We do not send players to lose...losing is not something good, no matter the event," said Ismail Sabri.
He added that he would be having one-to-one sessions with the players in the squad, especially those making up the doubles pairs, as they were said to be having problems.
The team's performance came under question following their poor showing at the just-concluded Asian Badminton Championship in Johor Baharu.
Ismail earlier had presented cash incentives totalling RM50,000 to 10 Category A athletes who qualified on merit for the Beijing Olympics.
The 10 are Mohd Azizulhasni Awang, Mohd Rizal Tisin, Mohammad Edrus Mohd Yunos, Junaidi Mohd Nasir dan Josiah Ong (cycling); Leong Mun Yee, Elizabeth Jimie and Pandelela Rinong (diving); Hasli Izwan Amir Hasan (shooting) and Yuan Yu Fang (athletics).
So far, 20 Malaysians from seven type of sports - aquatics, athletics, archery, taekwondo, shooting, sailing and cycling - have qualified for Beijing.
- BERNAMA
Super GT To Attract 65,000 Spectators
KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 (Bernama) -- Inspired by the success in organising the 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix last month, race promoter, Sepang International Circuit Sdn Bhd (SIC) is targeting a similar impact for the upcoming Super GT International Series Malaysia which will be held from May 20 to 22 at the Sepang Circuit.
"We are trying to attract 65,000 spectators to Sepang Circuit this time. I am confident the number could be achieved based on the current trend where more people are involved in motorsports," said SIC general manager Datuk Azmi Murad at a media briefing on SIC preparation for the race, here today.
Last year, the event attracted a turn-out of 48,000 fans.
"Clearly, these (Formula One and GT Race) are two different kinds of events. But, both are world class motor racing events with their own kind of appeal and followers. I know for a fact that Super GT has huge followers in Malaysia and the neighbouring countries," he added.
Malaysia will host the Round 4 of the nine-round 2008 Super GT International Series championship. The race is jointly promoted by SIC and the Japan GT Association (GTA).
A total of 42 teams and 84 drivers are competing in the GT500 and GT300 classes, including Team Petronas Tom's SC430, where Malaysia's national oil company, Petronas for the first time is involved as a sponsor.
Apart from the main race, fans will also have the opportunity to watch five support races that are held in conjunction with the Super GT race, namely the Asian Touring Car Series, the Asian Formula Renault Challenge, the Asian GT Challenge, Formula V6 Asia Series and Aston Martin Cup.
Meanwhile, SIC's advertising and promotions manager, Azlan Akil noted that the race weekend will be packed with plenty of excitement, on-track and off-track.
Azlan said besides the usual Circuit Safari Ride -- where spectators would be placed on low-loader buses going around the track while the drivers and their mean race machines go against each other around the track -- fans will also have the opportunity of catching the action from hot-air ballons.
"The hot-air ballons will be an added attraction at this year's race. About three hot-air ballons will be located at strategic locations where fans can view the race from the air. The hot-air ballons are anchored to the ground and the height will be in accordance with the DCA regulations," he said.
Azlan added that in assisting SIC to promote the event in their roadshows and promotional campaigns, the GT Queens -- Kotomi Kurosawa and Ayami Sasaki -- will make their appearance at leading shopping malls and entertainment outlets at major cities.
"We are planning to have three big roadshows in June. Two in Kuala Lumpur and one at Penang Autocity in Penang. We are also working closely with the GTA for a street demonstration during the race week," he said.
The SIC is currently offering special early bird packages for the fans where the first 5,000 purchases of the Main Grandstand sittings and the first 5,000 purchases for the K1 Grandstand tickets, are entitled to a 50 per cent discount.
-- BERNAMA
Rexy Wants His Doubles Pairs To Repeat Thomas Cup Success In Jakarta
KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 (Bernama) -- National doubles chief coach Rexy Mainaky wants his pairs to repeat the same feat as in the last Thomas Cup championship in Japan when they play in the tournament in Jakarta next month.
He said the shuttlers were training hard and were confident of doing well in the May 11-18 tournament.
"I will be very happy if my pairs can repeat the same results in Japan in 2006, losing only one game to South Korean pair in the quarter-finals," he told reporters when met at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium.
In the last Thomas Cup, the Malaysian squad crashed out in the semi-finals, losing to Denmark 2-3. All the men's singles lost in their matches.
However, after the Asian Badminton Championship (ABC) in Johor last week, the pairs displayed marked improvement in their game, especially the Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong pair, Rexy said.
"Although none of the Malaysian pairs made it to the finals, I am happy they are now more focused in their game and showed more commitment.
"I believe the Kien Keat-Boon Heong pair are now closer to their form which won them the All-England title and the Asian Champion," he said.
He said tactically it would be advantageous for the Malaysian squad if they played the second doubles while the veteran Choong Tan Fook/Lee Wan Wah pair played the first doubles.
"The Tan Fook-Wan Wah pair are more experienced and they had a very good record against the world top pairs while the Kien Keat/Boon Heong will fit in nicely as the second pair," he said.
The most recent outstanding results from the Tan Fook/Wan Wah pair his year was when they downed former world champions Lars Paaske/Jonas Rasmussen of Denmark to advance to the quarter-finals of the Swiss Open in Basel last month.
National singles ace Lee Chong Wei leads Malaysia's charge to the championship, with Wong Choong Hann playing second singles and Mohd Hafiz Hashim the third.
The two doubles pairs are Tan Fook-Wan Wah and Kien Keat-Boon Heong, with Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Tazari as the back-up pair.
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) is expected to announce the full squads of the Thomas and Uber Cups at the coaching and training meeting on Friday.
-- BERNAMA
Gilbert Books Grand Final Ticket To Hanoi
KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 (Bernama) -- Gilbert Low Kam Wong played one of the best rounds of his life to bag the individual gross title in the opening leg of the Maxis Team Golf Tour at Kota Permai Golf & Country Club, his home club here.
The 13-handicapper surprised the field of 118 participants when he returned with a gross score of 76 - nine under his handicap - to beat two others on countback to ensure a place in the Maxis Team Golf Tour (MTGT) grand final that will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam this October, said Maxis in a statement today.
"Im delighted," said Gilbert who will be making his debut appearance in an MTGT grand final.
"Ive never shot below 82 in tournament play before. I have played numerous competitions and never qualified for a final that was held at an international venue."
The trio of Lim Chee Heong, Pua Yii Shiuan and Yep Peng Huat combined effectively to score 113 points and win the team event by a comfortable margin of three points and will join Gilbert in Hanoi.
Yasimituah Yaacob, Marzuki Ariffin and Mohamad Jamil Palil finished runner-up but were very happy to take home Pocket PCs sponsored by Hewlett Packard while Yeo Pang Hock, Goh Tiong Wee and Leom Jiew Fook finished third.
For the first time since the tournaments inception, prizes were given to winners in the Individual Medals and S. Sasikumar, James Goh Seng Cho and Zakariah Md Mydin emerged victors in the A, B and C categories, respectively.
The value of prizes given away for each leg was just under RM40,000.
Three players came agonizingly to winning a BMW 5 Series that was offered as a Hole-in-One prize on the Par 3 14th.
Kevin Chan Chee Chung who had scored a hole-in-one at the same hole last November, was almost in 'seventh heaven' when his shot landed on the green, bounced once and began rolling towards the cup but to his dismay, stopped six inches short.
Alex Liew Chun Peng who was the first to tee-off when the siren went off, also had a near-miss when his tee-shot shaved the lip of the cup and ended about a foot away while Lim Khean Khoon from Penang had a similar misfortune with the ball brushing the hole and finishing up a foot away.
The tournament was open to registered Maxis post-paid customers who have valid handicaps.
--BERNAMA
BAM bawa dua 'budak baru'
Oleh Lukman Salleh dan Ahmad Khawari Isa
Cari pengalaman Piala Thomas
BERTUNJANGKAN kepada perancangan jangka panjang, dua pemain muda - Mohd Arif Latif dan Tan Chung Seang - tampak bakal dibawa ke Jakarta untuk merasai kehangatan saingan pusingan akhir Kejohanan Badminton Piala Thomas, bulan depan.
Langkah membawa kedua-duanya itu adalah cadangan bakal dikemukakan kepada Jawatankuasa Kejurulatihan dan Teknikal Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM) yang akan memutuskan senarai akhir pasukan negara, esok.
Namun hanya seorang - sama ada Arif ataupun Chung Seang - akan dimasukkan dalam senarai rasmi untuk memikul tugas selaku perseorangan keempat negara di belakang Lee Chong Wei, Wong Choong Hann dan Hafiz Hashim.
Ianya bertujuan untuk BAM mendedahkan pemain muda negara buat merasai pengalaman beraksi dalam kejohanan berpasukan paling berprestij itu sebagai langkah menyediakan pemain menggantikan barisan senior pada kejohanan akan datang.
“BAM hampir pasti akan memilih pemain muda untuk mengisi slot perseorangan keempat negara di Piala Thomas. Ada dua nama iaitu Arif dan Chung Seang, disenaraikan. Hanya seorang saja akan terpilih, tetapi mungkin kedua-duanya dibawa sekali sebagai rakan sepelatih,” kata sumber dalaman persatuan itu.
Jika BAM memilih Arif, maka badan induk mengekalkan barisan yang sama ketika pusingan kelayakan di Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, Februari lalu, apabila pemain muda itu mengisi slot perseorangan keempat.
Namun prestasi Chung Seang, yang layak ke pusingan ketiga Kejohanan Badminton Asia di Johor Bahru, baru-baru ini, memikat perhatian BAM untuk turut memberikan peluang pendedahan kepadanya.
Sebelum ini, pengurusan kejurulatihan BAM mengumumkan akan membawa empat pemain perseorangan dan tiga gandingan beregu iaitu Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong dan Mohd Fairuzizuan Tazari-Zakry Abdul Latif.
Dalam perkembangan berkaitan, Choong Hann bakal diberi tanggungjawab selaku ketua pasukan negara - dengan tugas mengepalai semua pemain lelaki dalam skuad Piala Thomas dan juga barisan pemain wanita ke saingan Piala Uber di Jakarta nanti.
Choong Hann memikul tanggungjawab sama ketika pusingan kelayakan di Vietnam lalu dan gaya kepimpinannya jelas disenangi pemain-pemain negara hasil kemampuan menjelmakan semangat berpasukan padu.
“Pemilihan ketua pasukan ditentukan oleh pemain-pemain. Antara elemen yang diperlukan untuk menjadi ketua pasukan ialah punya pengalaman luas, memiliki hubungan baik dengan semua pemain serta berupaya menyumbang mata penting kepada pasukan,” kata ketua jurulatih negara, Yap Kim Hock.
Sementara itu, Indonesia membuat kejutan apabila menggugurkan pasangan nombor dua mereka yang juga ketujuh dunia, Luluk Hadiyanto-Alvent Yulianto daripada skuad Piala Thomas dan memilih gandingan ke-17 dunia, Hendra Gunawan-Joko Riyadi bagi mengiringi juara dunia, Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan dan pasangan bidan terjun, Candra Wijaya-Nova Widianto.
Itulah adalah kejutan tunggal dalam senarai yang diumumkan Persatuan Bulutangkis Seluruh Indonesia selepas menamakan Sony Dwi Kuncoro, Taufik Hidayat, Simon Santoso dan Tommy Sugiarto sebagai sandaran bahagian perseorangan.
Zabidi ungguli 100m MSSM
Oleh Azidan Nahar
PELARI kebangsaan, Zabidi Ahmad terus mempamer taring sebenarnya apabila muncul juara acara riben biru 100 meter lelaki bawah 18 tahun Majlis Sukan Sekolah-Sekolah Malaysia (MSSM) Ke-50 di Stadium Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya, petang semalam.
Zabidi, 18, yang mewakili Terengganu merakam 10.91 saat untuk pingat emas manakala wakil Kedah, Sharif Hidayatullah Mansor kedua dengan catatan 11.05s diikuti P Cyrus Krishnen (Perak) ketiga dengan 11.07s.
Kejayaan memenangi emas itu juga adalah yang kedua buat pelari 4X100m kebangsaan di Sukan Sea Korat itu selepas kejayaan pada Kejohanan Olahraga Terbuka Wilayah Persekutuan baru-baru ini.
Catatan 10.91s itu bagaimanapun jauh dari rekod peribadinya, 10.51 yang dilakukannya pada Kejohanan Olahraga Tertutup Kebangsaan di Perlis tahun lalu yang memberikannya tiket ke Korat.
"Hari ini (semalam) saya bermula kurang bagus kerana cuaca sedikit sejuk. Trek di sini bagus dan ada cabaran yang kuat dari Sharif yang juga lawan saya pada Sukma di Kedah dua tahun lalu.
"Apapun saya gembira berjaya menang emas," katanya.
Zabidi menjelaskan dia tidak menyertai rakan-rakannya dalam skuad kebangsaan yang ketika ini akan menyertai Kejohanan Terbuka Thailand bermula Sabtu ini untuk memberi tumpuan terhadap MSSM.
Ia juga, katanya, sebagai persiapan buatnya menghadapi Sukma Mei ini dengan dia turut akan menyertai acara 200m pada hari terakhir kejohanan Sabtu ini.
"Ini adalah kali kelima saya menyertai MSSM dan berjaya menang dua emas dalam acara 100m," kata Zabidi.
Pelari kelahiran Dungun, Terengganu itu meraih emas dalam acara 100 dan 200m bawah 18 tahun pada 2005 di Pulau Pinang manakala pada 2006 dia meraih dua perak juga dalam acara yang sama.
Mengenai acara 200m yang akan disertainya Sabtu ini, Zabidi berharap dia akan berupaya meraih satu lagi emas.
Badminton / Thomas Cup: Ismail: Winning mentality important
Sports Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob (centre) speaks to athletes after giving away the Olympic qualifying incentives in Putrajaya yesterday. — Pic: RAMDZAN MASIAM
THE Beijing Olympics may be the priority for the national shuttlers but that doesn't mean they can take next month's Thomas Cup Finals in Jakarta lightly.
Ismail said if the Thomas Cup squad are planning on competing without the aim of winning the title, they shouldn't even board the flight to Jakarta for the May 11-18 event.
"All tournaments are important to us. Although we have put much emphasis on the Olympics, we cannot ignore the Thomas Cup. If we don't take it seriously, then why do we have to send our squad?," asked Ismail at the Sports Ministry in Putrajaya yesterday.
He had earlier presented RM5,000 each to athletes who have qualified for the Olympics.
Ismail also said the inconsistency of the shutters is also worrying as on paper, they are the only ones who have the ability to win medals in the Olympics.
He plans to meet the shuttlers who qualify for Beijing next week.
Nine players are expected to qualify when the Badminton World Federation (BWF) releases the final list at the end of this month.
They are Lee Chong Wei, Wong Choong Hann, Wong Mew Choo, Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui.
The athletes who received the qualifying incentive yesterday were divers Leong Mun Yee, Elizabeth Jimie and Pandelela Rinong, shooter Hasli Izwan Amir Hassan, walker Yuan Yufang and cyclists Azizulhasni Awang, Rizal Tizin, Edrus Yunos and Junaidi Nasir.
Besides the one-off RM5,000 incentive, the athletes will also receive RM1,000 a month from the date of qualification. A total of 20 athletes, excluding the shuttlers, have already qualified for the Beijing Olympics.
Olympic watch: Laure vows to bounce back in Beijing
DUNKIRK (France): French swimmer Laure Manaudou on Tuesday vowed to bounce back at the Olympic Games after being beaten for the first time in four years over her favourite distance, the 400m freestyle, at the National Championships.
She collapsed in tears late Monday after she finished behind Romania's 200m Olympic champion Camelia Potec -- the new protege of her former coach Philippe Lucas -- and Coralie Balmy, who took the national title.
"I wasn't only depressed yesterday (Monday) evening, I was until midday," explained Laure who on Tuesday pulled out of the women's 200 metres freestyle final, meaning she will not qualify for the event for the Olympic Games.
But she bounced back later Tuesday by winning the 100m backstroke. "I cried my eyes out because I think that it's not good to hold things in," she explained.
"It was really difficult (to refocus). I didn't feel great in the freestyle so I preferred not to do the 200m to do a good 100m backstroke. If I had swam the 200m I wouldn't have won the 100m backstroke."
Laure, 21, admitted that she was under enormous pressure compared to her experience when she went to Athens four years ago, but that the defeat was a learning experience.
"I've never been so stressed. In 2004 I was 17 years old. I breezed through the qualifiers, I did one race after another and I was very fresh," she explained.
"Now, I'm not old, but I've four more years on the clock and younger swimmers are coming up behind me. It's not easy being beaten but it's true that it's better that it happens now.
"I think I'll have less pressure when I go over 400m (at the Olympics) because I no longer have the world record and I'm not the top Frenchwoman now."
And the French swimmer admitted she would have found it hard to swallow had she failed to qualify for the Olympics because she was still waiting for the new swimsuit of her sponsors Arena to match Speedo's record-breaking LZR Racer. -- AFP
Sportcheck: More on offer at Power Run
Bata’s Datuk James Selvaraj (centre) with Milo Sports Marketing Manager Ng Ping Loong (right) and Muhammad Fauzi Ahmad of 100 Plus with some of the lucky draw prizes for the Power Run. — Pic: NIK ROSLI ISHAK
MEDALS and trophies are not the only things runners should take aim at in Sunday's Power Run at Dataran Merdeka as the organisers will also have a series of lucky draws for the expected 4,000 participants.
"While the run is a serious affair, we also want the participants to have fun and the lucky draws are our way of injecting more fun into the Power Run," said Vegiyathuman.
"It is not too late for those yet to register for the run as entries only close at 6pm on Saturday.
Entry forms can be obtained from FTAAA, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Education Departments and Bata stores at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Sungai Wang and MidValley.
Zolyn breaks high jump record three times
By AFTAR SINGH
PETALING JAYA: Pint-sized Zolyn Zulaiqha Mohd Faudzi of Kedah stole the thunder in the girls’ Under-12 high jump event by breaking the record three times in the National Schools Sports Council (MSSM) athletics championships at the MBPJ Stadium yesterday.
The 1.48m-tall Standard Six student of SRK Taman Uda in Alor Star cleared 1.49m in her first attempt, breaking the four-year record of 1.48m set by Sue Rafflesia Charles Chan of Sabah in Seremban.
But the 12-year-old Zolyn, who weighs only 30kg, was not satisfied and wanted to raise the bar higher.
With the bar set at 1.51m, she cleared in her first attempt.
Cash rich: Zolyn Zulaiqha Mohd Faudzi is all smiles after receiving RM500 from Kedah officials for her record-breaking feat in the girls’ Under-12 high jump event yesterday. – KAMAL SELLEHUDDIN / The Star Still not satisfied, she asked the officials to raise it to 1.53m. And again she cleared it with her first try.
Not contented, she asked for the bar to be raised to 1.54m. This time she failed all three times.
However, Zolyn, who took up the event three years ago, was delighted to have improved on her personal best of 1.43m, which she did in the state’s schools sports meet two weeks ago.
Zolynsaid she had never expected to break the record after failing to win a medal in the MSSM meet in Bukit Jalil last year.
“I only cleared 1.45m in training. So to clear 1.53m in the meet is the best achievement of my life,” said Zolyn, who received RM500 as reward from one of the Kedah officials.
Kedah’s Nur Izzati Akmal Nazrilazdin bagged the silver with 1.43m while Sarawak’s Chung Chui Xia took the bronze with 1.41m.
Penang’s J. Thinagaran also shone yesterday, shattering the boys’ 800m meet record in the Under-18 category.
The Form Five student of Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) clocked a personal best time of 1:56.22 to shatter the old mark of 1:56.36 set by Selangor’s James Ramis in Penang in 2006.
Thinagaran, who is from Tasik Gelugor, finished ahead of Selangor’s K. Gunasekaran by 30m.
Gunasekaran took the silver in 2:01.01 while Sabah’s Elton Evon Jingkin clocked 2:01.29 for the bronze.
“I have been competing in the MSSM since 2005 and this is the best achievement of my career so far. I not only won the gold but also broke my first record in the meet,” said Thinagaran, who bagged the silver in the 1,500m in the meet last year.
He now hopes to clock a personal best time and win the gold in tomorrow’s 1,500m race. “I hope to improve my time by five seconds as my personal best now is 4:05.00.”
Sprinter Zabidi Ahmad was slow off the blocks but still managed to win the blue ribbon event in the boys’ Under-18 in 10.91. However, it was way off his personal best of 10.51.
Zabidi will now aim for his second double by winning the 200m on Saturday. He was only 15 years old when he created history by bagging both the 100m and 200m golds in Penang in 2005.
Olympics: More emphasis on mental preparation for athletes
By LIM TEIK HUAT
PUTRAJAYA: Strong mental preparation, one aspect overlooked in the past, will be given more emphasis as the Olympic-bound athletes gear up for their biggest assignment in Beijing come August.
With 20 athletes from eight sports having qualified so far and nine from badminton almost certain to make the grade, Malaysia look set to send their biggest ever contingent to the Olympics.
Malaysia had 26 athletes in the Athens Olympics four years ago.
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob said yesterday that athletes who had qualified for the Olympics would not just be prepared physically but also mentally.
One for the album: The nine athletes are all smiles after receiving the National Sports Council incentives yesterday. From left: Mohd Azizul Hasni Awang, Junaidi Mohd Nasir, Mohd Edrus Mohd Yunus, (cycling), Yuan Yufang (athletic), Mohd Rizal Tisin, (cycling), Leong Mun Yee, Elizabeth Jimie, Pandelela Rinong (diving) and Hasli Amir Hasan (shooting). He stressed that the mental preparation of the athletes could well be the difference between success and failure.
“The country’s expectations are high and the athletes will be subjected to high pressure atmosphere.
“It is important for us to help them handle the pressure and be comfortable going into the competition.
“Sports psychology sessions will be an important part of preparations for this Olympics for everyone concerned,” said Ismail.
Malaysia have not won an Olympic medal for the last 12 years and the shuttlers, understandably, will be feeling the most pressure in the Beijing Olympics in August.
Badminton may be Malaysia’s best chance of ending the medal drought but Ismail said other sports would be set their respective targets.
“We do not want to put undue pressure on everyone but all the sports with representatives must have their own targets,” Ismail said after handing over incentives to nine athletes, who have make the cut for Beijing.
The athletes each received RM5,000 from the National Sports Council (NSC) for earning qualification on merit for the Beijing Olympics over the past two months.
They are entitled to a monthly allowance of RM1,000, which is paid out from the time they qualify until end of August.
The nine athletes are national walker Yuan Yufang, women divers Leong Mun Yee, Pandelela Rinong and Elizabeth Jimie; men’s track cylists Azizul Hasni Awang, Mohd Edrus Yunus, Rizal Tisin and Junaidi Nasir; and men’s rapid fire pistol shooter Hasli Izwan Amir Hasan.
Josiah Ng, also part of the cycling squad bound for Beijing, was also on the list but was not present to receive the incentive.
Josiah who competed in Athens four years ago is currently training in the United States.
Ismail said they were hoping for more Malaysian athletes to join the cast for Beijing.
Those who are still trying to qualify are from athletics, weightlifting, women’s archery and women’s hockey.
National 110m hurdler Robani Hassan and high jumper Lee Hup Wei are hoping to make the cut from either the Thailand or China Opens next month while the women’s recurve archers will be vying for a place in the world qualifiers in France in June.
Thomas Cup just as important as Olympics, says Rexy
By LIM TEIK HUAT
PETALING JAYA: This is the year of the Olympics and it has seen the government dangling carrots in the form of lucrative incentives and pension schemes.
Even head coach Yap Kim Hock was quoted recently as saying that the priority for the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) was to prepare the shuttlers towards the ultimate target of winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal in Beijing in August.
But as far as doubles coach Rexy Mainaky is concerned, the Thomas Cup Finals in Jakarta from May 11-18 are equally important and he is demanding the same commitment from his charges.
“Everyone is talking about the Olympics but the Thomas Cup Finals are just as important,” said Rexy yesterday.
“When I was a player for Indonesia, it was everyone’s dream to make the team and to play in the Thomas Cup.
“I think Malaysian players should have that hunger in them to fight it out.”
As the most prestigious team competition, Rexy felt that China, led by their three top singles stars in Lin Dan, Bao Chunlai and Chen Jin, are favourites to retain the title on paper.
“China are very strong in the singles department and, since they are capable of even winning all three points from the singles, are the team to beat,” said Rexy.
“But Malaysia, like Indonesia, have a 50-50 chance to tip the odds if the doubles players rise to the occasion.
“Hopefully, the doubles pairs can maintain a good record in the competition again like what we went through in Japan.”
In the last Thomas Cup Finals in Tokyo two years ago, Malaysia’s doubles players lost only one match and that was in the tie against South Korea in the quarter-finals.
Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat lost to Hwang Ji-man-Lee Jae-jin but they redeemed themselves to beat Danes Jens Eriksen-Martin Lundgaard Hansen in their match-up in the semi-final.
Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah also beat Mathias Boe-Carsten Morgensen but their efforts failed to help Malaysia, who lost all three singles matches to go out of the competition.
Malaysia will go for a combination of four singles and three doubles pairs for the Thomas Cup squad and the line-up will be finalised after the coaching committee meeting tomorrow.
Veterans Tan Fook- Wan Wah will feature as the first doubles pair, followed by Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Latif based on their current world rankings.
Lee Chong Wei, Wong Choong Hann and Mohd Hafiz Hashim are also certainties for the singles berths while it will be a toss-up between youngster Mohd Arif Latif and the more experienced Yeoh Kay Bin for the final singles slot.
Third seeds Malaysia have South Korea and England for company in Group B.
Malaysia will need to beat South Korea to avoid meeting Indonesia in the quarter-finals.
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