Ee Wei hoping to go one better at second world junior outing
PETALING JAYA: National junior shuttler Toh Ee Wei loves badminton so much that she even plays it during her free time.
“Badminton is my career and hobby,” quipped the Form Five Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) student.
“I’ll be sitting for my SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) examinations this year. Due to my commitment to the sport and studies, I don’t really have much time to do other things,” said Ee Wei, who aims to go one step better at the World Junior Championships in Yogjakarta starting tomorrow.
At last year’s edition in Bilbao, Spain, the 17-year-old debutant surprised everyone by winning bronze in mixed doubles with Chen Tang Jie. She also won a silver in the mixed team event.
“I’m quite excited about my second world junior outing. I’ve trained harder as well as improved on my power and speed,” said the Melaka girl, who joined the BJSS five years ago.
This time, she will partner debutant Ng Eng Cheong in mixed doubles.
They won gold at the Asean Schools in Singapore and also came out tops in the National Junior Under-18 meet in Negri Sembilan.
“Our combination is getting better. The pairs from China, South Korea and Indonesia will be the ones to beat,” said Ee Wei.
Ee Wei-Eng Cheong took part in the Asian Junior in Jakarta in July, but went down 21-19, 23-21 to China’s Fan Qiuyue-Liu Xuanxuan in the third round. Indonesians Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto-Siti Fadia Silva Ramadlanti took the title.
The bubbly Ee Wei is wary of one thing – injuries.
She still remembers the painful incident two years ago when she was sidelined for six months after fracturing a toe.
“I’m aggressive on court and will go for all the shuttles. I’ve injured my toes many times because of awkward landing. The last thing I want is to get injured during a tournament,” she said.
Ee Wei will also take part in the girls’ doubles with Pearly Tan Koong Le and the mixed team event.
Malaysia last won the mixed doubles title through Lim Khim Wah-Ng Hui Lin in 2007 but have never tasted success in girls’ doubles since the tournament’s inception in 1992. Malaysia have won the mixed team title once – in 2011 – in Taiwan.