Tokyo Olympics: Hup Wei aims to qualify by merit
KUALA LUMPUR: National high jumper Lee Hup Wei does not want to take it easy by hoping for a ‘wildcard’ ticket but wants to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on merit.
Hup Wei, 33, who hails from Kajang, is looking to make his third Olympic appearance by improving on his ranking in the ‘Road to Tokyo’ World Athletics programme.
He is on the right track to secure a ticket to Tokyo on merit based on the world ranking quota by being ranked 21st in ‘ Road to Tokyo’ following his world ranking of 16 with 1,235 points.
However, due to the absence of meets as a result of the Covid19 pandemic, it has somewhat affected the preparations of the former Asian champion, with the Olympic qualifying period for athletics set to resume from Dec 1 to June 29.
“Have to work hard to fight for a place in the Olympics on merit, that is the first mission and when successful, I will try to reach the final round in Tokyo. Have to see what meets I can join next year because there aren’t any now.
“With the situation (Covid-19) getting worse, I am quite stressed because training strength and joining competitions is not the same. If we do not get to join any competitions, we will have to organise test meets, compete against juniors to assess our performance.
“To get to the Olympics, we have to see our performance also...If our performance is not up to the mark, what for we go to Olympic Games,” said Hup Wei, who is undergoing training on a quarantine basis at the National
Sports Council (MSN), Bukit Jalil here.
Malaysian Athletics Federation president Datuk S.M. Muthu prior to this had told Bernama that Hup Wei was their choice for the sole ‘wildcard’ ticket offered to Malaysia in athletics to Tokyo based on his world ranking.
Another national high jumper, Nauraj Singh Randhawa, is in 45th place; followed by triple jumper Muhammad Hakimi Ismail (56) and discuss thrower Muhammad Irfan Shamsuddin (59).
Commenting further on his training, Hup Wei, who had competed in the 2008 Beijing
Olympics and 2012 London Olympics, said the MSN’s quarantine-based training was the right thing to do for now.
“Training here is better because we can stay here, easy to see the coach and there is also a recovery centre to facilitate the recovery process. For now there are no plans for overseas stints because it is safer here.
“This situation is a first (for us). I feel we have to be patient,,, If we are safe and healthy, only then we can go for competitions, if not healthy, how to go,” said the 2007 Asian champion and threetime SEA Games gold medallist. — Bernama
Have to work hard to fight for a place in the Olympics on merit, that is the first mission. Lee Hup Wei