Back to basics
Jin Wei goes back to her roots to regain confidence
It looks like SEA Games-bound shuttler Goh Jin Wei will have to take a step back to go two steps forward. Having failed to produce the desired results in senior competitions, the 17-year-old has been named for the Asian Junior Championships in Jakarta ( July 22-25); World Junior Championships in Jakarta (Oct 9-22) and the Asean Schools Championships in Singapore (July 13-21). “I want Jin Wei to go back to the junior tournaments, regain her confidence and come back stronger for the senior tournaments,” explained Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) technical director Morten Frost.
Mixed team event
Boys: Leong Jun Hao, Sim Fong Hau, Ng Eng Cheong, Chang Yee Jun, Man Wei Chong, Kwek Yee Jian, Chia Weijie, Ng Tze Yong.
Girls: Goh Jin Wei, Eoon Qi Xuan, Pearly Tan Koong Le, Toh Ee Wei, Yap Ling, Tan Sueh Jeou, Lim Mei Chen, Ng Wan Win.
Individual events
Boys’ singles: Leong Jun Hao, Sim Fong Hau, Ng Tze Yong, Chia Weijie.
Boys’ doubles: Ng Eng Cheong-Chang Yee Jun, Man Wei Chong-Kwek Yee Jian, Ng Tze Yong-Chia Weijie.
Girls’ singles: Eoon Qi Xuan, Lim Mei Chen, Eng Sin Jou.
Girls’ doubles: Pearly Tan Koong Le-Toh Ee Wei, Yap Ling-Ng Wan Win, Tan Sueh Jeou-Eng Sin Jou.
Mixed doubles: Chang Yee Jun-Pearly Tan Koong Le, Ng Eng CheongToh Ee Wei, Man Wei Chong-Tan Sueh Jeou, Kwek Yee Jian-Ng Wan Win. KUALA LUMPUR: SEA Games-bound Goh Jin Wei has come to the rescue of the junior shuttlers.
The 17-year-old Jin Wei is one of 16 players named for the Asian Junior Championships in Jakarta from July 22-25. She won’t compete in the individual event.
Jin Wei has also been named for the individual and team events of the World Junior Championships in Jakarta from Oct 9-22 as well as for the Asean Schools Championships in Singapore from July 13-21.
Badminton Association of Malaysia ( BAM) technical director Morten Frost said that they had good reasons for fielding Jin Wei in junior tournaments despite having had plans to give her more exposure in senior outings.
“She has not proven herself in the senior team as we expected. We tried to push her but there were no results in the Grand Prix Gold and other international tournaments,” said Frost.
“I want Jin Wei to go back to the junior tournaments, regain her confidence and come back stronger for the senior tournaments.
“For now, she’ll support the junior team in the tournaments in Jakarta. It’s also a chance for her to fight back and win the world junior title.
“She was the 2015 world junior champion but did not clear the early rounds of the same tour- nament last year. Players like Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand and Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi have won more than one junior title.”
Frost, however, clarified that Jin Wei’s training programme would remain the same. She will continue training with the seniors under head coach Tey Seu Bock.
“She’s still eligible for the junior tournaments, so why stop her from playing? We will also send her for senior tournaments. We’ll mix it up,” said Frost.
Jin Wei will also be counted on to deliver a medal at the KL Games. She made heads turn by winning a bronze in her Games debut in Singapore two years ago.
Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) singles head coach Kwan Yoke Meng is happy to have Jin Wei in the junior team.
“Jin Wei has given up the Russian Open Grand Prix Gold (from July 18-23) to play in the Asian juniors. It’ll be a great motivation for others in the team,” said Yoke Meng.
Malaysia last won the Asian Junior Championships mixed team title in 2009 and were runners-up in 2010 and 2011.
The last Malaysian shuttler to win an individual title was Soo Teck Zhi – in boys’ singles – four years ago.