V SHEM READY TO SPLIT UP WITH WEE KIONG
Partnership of V Shem and Wee Kiong destined for doom
KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Goh V Shem has given up on his partnership with Tan Wee Kiong.
“We have not had any results to show for this year. There is nothing much I can say except to let the BAM ( Badminton Association of Malaysia) coaches decide on our future,” said V Shem during the BAM’s Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) signing ceremony with Malaysia Purple League yesterday.
“If BAM tell us to split up, I will just accept it,” said V Shem.
Former men’s doubles world No. 1 pair V Shem-Wee Kiong, who combined in 2014, enjoyed success last year when they won silver at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. They also bagged the Denmark Open title and ended the season by triumphing at the World Superseries Finals in Dubai in December.
But they have nothing to show for this year – not even a semi-final finish in any of the Superseries tournaments.
“There’s nothing Wee Kiong and I can do. We’re down and demoralised. I wish we can revive our partnership, but we have been together for a long time and we are struggling now,” said V Shem.
“My confidence is low and our communication isn’t the same anymore.
“Training is as usual right now, but we’re not talking like we used to. We’re just focusing on our own game.”
With a break-up looming, V Shem said that they would most probably skip the upcoming Korean Open and Japan Open.
On his participation in the Purple League, V Shem said that he would continue to play for Petaling Badminton Club for the fourth year.
Others who attended the MoU signing ceremony yesterday included Rio Olympic Games mixed doubles silver medallist Goh Liu Ying and SEA Games women’s singles champion Goh Jin Wei.
BAM president Datuk Seri Norza Zakaria was pleased with the historic collaboration with MPL.
He said: “I’d like to thank MPL’s board of directors for its willingness to work with BAM to help raise the bar and take badminton to greater heights.
“The main goal is to aid the sport’s development and compete consistently at the highest level.
“We hope that this partnership will pave the way for more opportunities to bridge the gap between BAM and the world’s best badminton nations.”
MPL chief executive officer Datuk Jack Koh said: “We, at MPL, are extremely grateful and honoured to have the full backing of BAM as we contribute towards the development of Malaysian badminton.
“I would like to thank MPL’s dedicated sponsors, namely Senheng, Samsung, Li Ning, Resorts World Genting, Astro, 100Plus and Lazada, for always being there.”