Skip to main content

Chong Wei targets semi-finals

LEE Chong Wei, despite the probability of a weak team, still harbours hopes of helping Malaysia to reach at least the semi-finals in the Thomas Cup finals in New Delhi in May.

Chong Wei said players like Chong Wei Feng and Liew Daren should be persisted with and he also felt that doubles Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong and Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah will provide Malaysia a fighting chance to achieve the last four target.

Not only did Chong Wei sound optimistic, he also lobbied for the inclusion of independent player Misbun Ramdan Misbun who he feels is good enough to be named as the reserve in the Thomas Cup squad.

"If we are well prepared, we can fight for at least a place in the semi-finals of the Thomas Cup despite the majority of our team members still being young," said Chong Wei after receiving incentives from the BA of Malaysia (BAM) for winning the All England and other international tournaments at Juara Stadium yesterday.

"We have to try our best and I believe there is hope to fight with other teams.
"China will be tough but they are not formidable in the doubles.
"They will rely on their singles with Chen Long as the number one, Du Pengyu as the second singles and Lin Dan as playing as the third singles.
"Ramdan is currently ranked fourth (in Malaysia) and has been more consistent and he should be our reserve singles."

BAM has been conducting trials to select the reserves which will conclude at Juara Stadium today.
Chong Wei received a total of RM80,000 for winning the Super Series Masters Finals in December (RM30,000), Malaysia Open (RM25,000) and All England (RM25,000) two weeks ago.
V Shem-Khim Wah will share RM25,000 for winning the Malaysia Open while women's doubles Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei will split the RM28,000 they received for winning the Sea Games gold in Myanmar in December.

Meanwhile, BAM president Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff, who chaired the executive committee (Exco) meeting yesterday, confirmed that Misbun Sidek has rejected the association's offer to become the coaching director citing personal problems.

No new candidates will be sought as Tengku Mahaleel believes the current coaching structure can run the programme without the presence of a coaching director.
BAM will also reintroduce the previous system where Rashid Sidek will become the singles chief coach while a doubles chief coach will be announced soon.

BAM has also received the green light from the public works department to begin the construction of the centre of excellence at Bukit Kiara where a complex that will be able to house 200 players as well as an 18-court hall will be built. It is expected to be completed within 18 months. By K.M. Boopathy

(From left) Vivian Hoo, Woon Khe Wei, Lee Chong Wei, Goh V Shem and Lim Khim Wah at the BAM Incentive presentation at Juara Stadium yesterday. Pic by Goh Thean Howe

Read more: Chong Wei targets semi-finals - Badminton - New Straits Times

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ex-coach's jail sentence cut to a year

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal yesterday sentenced former athletics coach C. Ramanathan to 12 months' jail for molesting two junior athletes 19 years ago. A three-man bench led by Datuk Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus unanimously dismissed Ramanathan's appeal against conviction, but varied the jail sentence of four years to a year, which was to run concurrently. Following yesterday's ruling, Ramanathan, 75, a former teacher, walked out a free man as he had served 10 months in Kajang Prison. Convicts get one-third remission for good behaviour while in prison. However, he will lose his pension. Hishamudin, who sat with Datuk Abdul Wahab Patail and Datuk Linton Albert, said the court found no merit to overturn the conviction. "However, in reducing the sentence, we considered Ramanathan's age and the long years the appeal has taken." Deputy public prosecutor Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud submitted that then High Court judge Tan Sri Abdull Hamid E...
2 comments
Read more

Govt Always Gives Emphasis To Sporting Culture, Says PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, May 29 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badaw i said the government always gives emphasis on cultivating a strong sporting culture in achieving excellence at the international level. As such, the Prime Minister said, it was important to scout for young talents in sports. "I observe that the Malaysia Games (Sukma) has become one of the important platforms to do so. "In this arena, the potentials and skills of the youngsters can be identified for development so that they can achieve greater success in sports," he said in his message in the souvenir book of the 12th Sukma from May 31 until June 9. Abdullah said he was aware that competition in sports was very keen and challenging but this did not mean that Malaysian athletes were incapable of competing at the international level. "The fact is that we have all the characteristics required to be excellent. We must inculcate a strong fighting spirit so that we don't easily surrender,...
1 comment
Read more

Rajagobal Let Off The Hook

PETALING JAYA, April 24 (Bernama) -- National head coach Datuk K. Rajagobal was let off the hook by the Football Association of Malaysia's (FAM) Disciplinary Committee after finding no evidence that he had violated FAM's Article 88, as claimed. FAM Disciplinary Committee chairman Datuk Taufik Abdul Razak said the committee had decided not to charge Rajagobal after carefully analysing the video of the post-match press conference by the 56-year-old coach. "After listening to the recording of the post-match press conference, we decided to drop the charge against Rajagopal as he did not make such a statement. "Maybe his (Rajagobal) assessment and comments of the match was misconstrued by the media. There was no mention of the FAM policy throughout his comments," said Taufik after emerging from a three-hour Disciplinary Committee meeting at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya, here, Wednesday. Rajagobal who does not mince his words when asked to com...
4 comments
Read more