Kuala Lumpur: The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has announced rosters for the Sudirman Cup, Thomas Cup, and Uber Cup Finals on Saturday, sending mostly young players to the prestigious team events.
During the press conference, BAM’s president, Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said that the average age of Malaysia’s Sudirman Cup was 22.38 years old, and the most senior player in the team was the mixed doubles female player Cheah Yee See(26 years old).
Zakaria explained that the decision to send young players to compete at the three major tournaments was part of BAM’s plan to start preparing these players for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“These players need to take advantage of the opportunity given to them by displaying high fighting spirit and proving their abilities to compete at the highest level of tournaments,” added Zakaria.
“For example, Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik (men’s doubles), although they are young but were able to beat the world number one and two pairs at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.”
On the other hand, BAM said it did not list Goh Sze Fei and Goh Jin Wei for the Sudirman Cup competition because Goh Sze Fei was injured and Goh Jin Wei has not been feeling well.
BAM’s Coaching Director Wong Choong Hann, however, said Goh Sze Fei and his partner Nur Izzuddin Rumsani will be playing at the Thomas Cup.
Wong said that Goh Jin Wei was not listed because she had a fever after returning from the tournament in Spain and was not fit enough to play in the Sudirman Cup.
“Jin Wei will not be playing in the Sudirman Cup because she has a fever when she returned from Spain and we will prepare her for the Uber Cup,” said Wong.
Malaysia’s World No. 8 men’s singles player, Lee Zii Jia has chosen to be the captain of both the Sudirman Cup team and also the Thomas Cup team.
Below are Malaysian players selected for the Sudirman Cup, Thomas Cup, and Uber Cup Finals:
Sudirman Cup – Lee Zii Jia (men’s singles), Ng Tze Yong (men’s singles), Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin (men’s singles), S Kisona (women’s singles), Eoon Qi Xuan (women’s singles), K Letshanaa (women’s singles), Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (men’s doubles), Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun (men’s doubles), Pearly Tan-M Thinaah (women’s doubles), Yap Ling-Teoh Mei Xing (women’s doubles), Hoo Pang Ron-Cheah Yee See (mixed doubles) and Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei (mixed doubles).
Thomas Cup – Lee Zii Jia (men’s singles), Ng Tze Yong (men’s singles), Cheam June Wei (men’s singles), Leong Jun Hao (men’s singles), Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin (men’s singles), Aaron Chia -Soh Wooi Yik (men’s doubles), Nur Izzuddin Rumsani-Goh Sze Fei (men’s doubles), Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun (men’s doubles) and Low Hang Yee (men’s doubles).
Uber Cup – S Kisona (women’s singles), Goh Jin Wei (women’s singles), Eoon Qi Xuan (women’s singles), K Letshanaa (women’s singles), Siti Nurshuhaini Azman (women’s singles), Pearly Tan -M Thinaah (women’s doubles), Yap Ling-Teoh Mei Xing (women’s doubles) and Lee Meng Yean-Go Pei Kee (women’s doubles).
