A different role for Peng Soon
IN the absence of his partner Goh Liu Ying, Chan Peng Soon has committed himself to help improve the standards of the backup shuttlers at the BA of Malaysia (BAM).
Liu Ying has been ruled out for the rest of the season after surgery in Germany for a shoulder injury, leaving Peng Soon with no choice but to be tested with other partners.
Despite the unfortunate circumstance, Peng Soon, who will also miss the World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, has given his word to help raise the standards of the mixed doubles players in the national squad.
This week, the 2016 Rio Olympic Games silver medallist will partner Peck Yen Wei at the Indonesia Open in Jakarta, and after that, with Cheah Yee See for the Australia Open on June 20-25.
“Of course I feel a little disappointed not to have my regular partner, but at the same time it is out of my control. I can only wish for Liu Ying to have a speedy recovery.
“Being a senior player, I understand that injuries and rehabilitation are part and parcel of being a professional athlete.
“In the absence of Liu Ying, I think it is my responsibility to help improve the standards of our younger mixed doubles players.
“Yen Wei and Yee See are both very talented players who remind me a lot of Indonesia’s Liliyana Natsir and China’s Zhao Yunlei. However, Yen Wei and Yee See are not world class yet.
“If I can help push them to realise their true potential, why not? That would make me really happy and satisfied,” said Peng Soon, who is also listed to compete in the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games in August.
The final list of 20 players for the biennial Games will be confirmed by BAM this week after the Olympic Council of Malaysia’s (OCM) final selection meeting on Tuesday.