Hangzhou: As the clock ticks down to the start of the Hangzhou Asian Games team event this Thursday, the Malaysian badminton team is in full swing, honing their preparations.
Bolstered by heavyweights such as the 2021 All-England champion Lee Zii Jia, and the 2022 men’s doubles world champions, Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik, the team swiftly initiated their training sessions at the Binjiang Gymnasium in Hangzhou upon landing.
While the official draw for the team showdown is set for tomorrow, the Malaysian lineup, surprisingly, finds itself as a potential underdog. Yet, their ambition is undeterred, with the squad fervently aiming to elevate their performance in Hangzhou.
The 23-year-old Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games men’s singles silver medalist, Ng Tze Yong, exudes enthusiasm.
“It’s my debut at the Asian Games, and the goal is to leave no room for regrets. The excitement to perform is palpable,” he remarked. As the nation’s second-ranked men’s singles player behind Lee Zii Jia, Ng seeks to capitalize on his recent successes, including his semi-final stride in the Hong Kong Open.
The Malaysian men’s team also boasts of other eminent players like 2021 World Championship bronze medalists, Teo Ee Yi/Ong Yew Sin, and 2017 Asian Junior champion, Leong Jun Hao, alongside Cheam June Wei, Gooh Soon Huat, and Chen Tang Jie.
Their presence in Hangzhou isn’t just about participating; it’s about redemption. The memory of Malaysia’s barren stint in the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang edition is still fresh, adding to their hunger for triumph this year.
Rexy Mainaky, the Coaching Director of the Academy of Badminton Malaysia (ABM), underlined the team’s strategic approach while in China. “Our focus in Hangzhou isn’t just training, but acclimatizing to local conditions and ensuring our players are in peak physical shape,” he mentioned before the team’s departure from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
With sights set firmly on a semi-final spot in the men’s team event and an eventual podium finish, Mainaky expressed, “While the draw remains uncertain, our resolve is clear: to give our utmost, aiming for, at a minimum, a semi-final berth and a shot at the medal.”
