Not cooked under pressure
Mistakes cost us the game, says V Shem
National men’s doubles shuttler Goh V Shem has brushed off any suggestion that he and his partner Tan Wee Kiong tend to crack under pressure during the crucial stages.
The 29-year-old claimed that they fell short in decisive moments because of untimely mistakes rather than pressure.
The former world No. 1 could only reach the last 16 at last week’s World Championships in Nanjing when they were beaten 21-16, 15-21, 20-22 by China’s Lee Junhui-Liu Yuchen, who went on to clinch the title.
In the match, V Shem-Wee Kiong managed to save a match point at 19-20 to force a deuce but surrendered the next two points rather too easily.
V Shem was at fault for the first after his poor service was easily killed off by Yuchen.
It was almost similar to the late meltdown that cost them the gold medal at the Rio Olympics two years ago.
“That wasn’t because of pressure. Sometimes, you just commit a mistake at a wrong time that could prove costly,” said V Shem.
“Things just happened. For instance, you have learned how to walk for 20 years, but you still can’t prevent yourself from falling or you are holding your phone, sometimes it just slips off from your hand.
“And I think our efforts can’t be faulted because we have always given our best.”
V Shem said he and Wee Kiong had already put the world meet disappointment behind them as they turned their attention to the Asian Games in Indonesia next week.
The pair are targeting to reach the final and improve on their bronze medal feat in Incheon four years ago.
“We certainly hope to do better than the last Games by winning silver, or even gold. But surely it’s easier said than done.
“We still need to take it one step at a time. “But we’ve got the backing from our new head coach Paulus (Firman).
“He knows what we’re lacking and what’s need to be corrected.
“We’re slowly heading back on the right path.
“I believe it’s only matter of time before we can reach the peak of our performance like in 2016,” he said.