HIGH HOPES FOR ASIAN JUNIOR MEET
Coach confident team will better previous mark
COACH Kwan Yoke Meng is quite certain the Malaysian contingent will better their previous mark at the Asian Junior Badminton Championships as the competition gets underway tomorrow in Jakarta.
At the previous edition in Bangkok last year, Malaysia only managed one bronze medal through boys’ doubles Ooi Zi Heng-Soh Wooi Yik.
Yoke Meng, who is head coach for the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) Form Four and Form five students, believes the team are much more prepared this year, and it was evident following their recent success in bagging six gold medals out of the seven at stake at the Asean Schools Games in Singapore last week.
“I am quite sure that we will be able to better our previous mark,” said Yoke Meng, before boarding the flight to Jakarta with the team yesterday.
“In fact the spirits among the players are very high even though everybody is still tired from the Asean Schools Games.
“Our team manager (A’amar Hashim) had a talk with the players here at the airport and has set a target to at least reach the final of the mixed team event.
“Apart from that, I personally feel that our players especially the boys singles and doubles and the mixed doubles should try and reach the last four stage.”
The last time Malaysia won gold in the mixed team event was back in 2009 in Kuala Lumpur.
The team this year comprises of Leong Jun Hao, Sim Fong Hau, Ng Eng Cheong, Chang Yee Jun, Man Wei Chong, Kwek Yee Jian, Chia Weijie and Ng Tze Yong (all boys), while the girls are led by 2015 world junior champion Goh Jin Wei, Eoon Qi Xuan, Pearly Tan, Toh Ee Wei, Yap Ling, Tan Sueh Jeou, Lim Mei Chen and Ng Wan Win.
Jin Wei, however, will not compete in the individual event on July 26-30, as she will be flying to Auckland for the New Zealand Open on Aug 1-6.
Malaysia are in Group B with neighbours Singapore, Vietnam, Macau and Myanmar.