Not all is lost
Daren dedicates men’s singles bronze to all Malaysians
Liew Daren’s inspired run in the World Championships in China came to an end when he was defeated by a superior Kento Momota of Japan in the semi-finals. Daren, who celebrates his 31st birthday tomorrow, lost 16-21, 5-21. Still, the independent shuttler will leave Nanjing a national hero. As a losing semi-finalist, Daren will receive a bronze medal and he immediately dedicated it to all Malaysians.
FOUR years after letting the nation down for his failure to deliver the winning point against Japan in the Thomas Cup final, Liew Daren hopes he has something to give back to the Malaysians.
Daren’s superb run in the World Championships in Nanjing has finally come to an end when he was defeated by Japan’s Kento Momota in the semi-finals at the Youth Olympic Sports Park Arena yesterday.
Daren, who celebrates his 31st birthday tomorrow, lost 16-21, 5-21 to a clearly superior Momota, who became the first Japanese to reach the final.
Still, the independent shuttler will leave Nanjing as a national hero.
As a losing semi-finalist, he will receive a bronze medal, making him only the third Malaysian medal winner in World Championships history after Lee Chong Wei (three silvers - London 2011, Guangzhou 2013 and Jakarta 2015) and Wong Choong Hann (silver - Birmingham 2003).
And he immediately dedicated the medal to all Malaysians.
“Although it’s a different competition altogether, I hope at least this is something that I can give back to Malaysia,” said Daren.
In New Delhi in 2014, Daren, the team captain then, lost the deciding tie to Takuma Ueda as Malaysia went down 3-2 to Japan in the final.
Daren said it feels extra special to be winning a World Championships bronze as an independent shuttler.
“It means a lot to me. Winning a World Championships medal after leaving the national team is something that I have never thought of. I feel very proud, very happy,” said Daren.
He has defied the odds from the first round. No one expected him to beat SEA Games gold medallist Jonatan Christie of Indonesia, but he made his doubters eat their words.
Daren followed that up with a second- round win over Israel’s Misha Zilberman, before proving his win against Jonatan was no fluke by shocking world No. 6 K. Srikanth in the last 16.
But it was his win over Japan’s Kanta Tsuneyama in Friday’s quarter- finals, which he won by battling through an ankle injury, that captured the hearts of many.
And as expected, Daren returned to the action yesterday not in his best condition.
He did begin with all guns blazing when he raced 5-0 ahead. But a stunned Momota swiftly settled and got back into the match.
Although Daren was still able to hold a two-point lead at 12-10, it was not long before Momota moved up a gear before turning the tide in his favour.
He levelled the contest 13-13 before going on to clinch the first game.
The second game was a lopsided contest as Daren didn’t look comfortable from the start with his ankle injury sustained the day before acting up.
“In the second game, the injury started to bother me and I couldn’t push any further. I was playing at probably 80 to 90%,” he explained.
“As I know my fitness would not last, my plan was to attack in the first game, hoping to win it. Unfortunately I didn’t manage to. I tried all I could.”