Ring the changes
Jin Wei’s YOG success something she ‘predicted’ three years ago
The five Olympic rings seem to be ringing the changes for Goh Jin Wei as her success in the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, seems to be something she ‘predicted’ three years ago. In 2015, Jin Wei – together with compatriots Cheam June Wei and Lee Ying Ying – visited the Youth Olympic Park, where Singapore hosted the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010. And there, under the five Olympic rings, Jin Wei – with her arms outstretched – declared: “I will play under the five Olympic rings symbol one day.” Yesterday, she more than made her dream come true when she became the first-ever Malaysian winner in the YOG.
PETALING JAYA: The five Olympic rings seem to be ringing the changes for Goh Jin Wei after she smashed down the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) gold medal in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
In 2015, Jin Wei – who was competing in the Singapore International Series together with compatriots Cheam June Wei and Lee Ying Ying – visited the Youth Olympic Park. The park was built to commemorate Singapore’s hosting of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010.
And there, under the five Olympic rings, Jin Wei – with her arms outstretched – declared: “I will play under the five Olympic rings symbol one day.”
Yesterday, she more than made her dream come true when she beat Asian junior champion Wang Ziyi of China 16-21, 21-13, 21-19 in the girls’ singles final to become the first-ever Malaysian winner in the YOG.
And now, the 18-year-old Jin Wei has set her sights on excelling on the next big stage – the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
“This result will encourage me to keep working harder for the future,” said a delighted Jin Wei, who fell to the ground in sheer joy after scoring the sensational win over her taller opponent yesterday.
Jin Wei has indeed shown she’s a potential Olympic medallist after defeating several top rivals in recent timeslike He Bingjiao of China, South Korea’s Sung Ji-hyun and Japan’s Aya Ohori in top-flight tournaments this year.
Former world junior champions Akane Yamaguchi of Japan and Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand, and 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games champion Bingjiao have made it to the pinnacle of world badminton and Jin Wei looks set to join that league if she keeps her momentum going.
Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Datuk Seri Norza Zakaria was thrilled with Jin Wei’s impressive victory.
It came barely a week after another youngster Lee Zii Jia lifted the men’s singles title at the Taiwan Open for his career’s biggest victory on Sunday.
Jin Wei and Zii Jia’s : successes prove that there are talents making their way up to emulate national No. 1 Lee Chong Wei, who has single-handedly brought glory to the country for more than a decade.
“History was made this morning (yesterday).
“I’m very happy with Jin Wei’s sterling performance, she has delivered Malaysia’s first YOG gold,” said Norza.
“I’m sure that this win will inspire Jin Wei to win a gold medal in the Olympics and win more prestigious titles.
“With the win from Jin Wei and 20-year-old Zii Jia last week, it shows that BAM’s efforts in investing in younger players are starting to bear fruit,” added Norza.
World No. 27 Jin Wei will now shift her focus to winning her second girls’ singles title at the World Junior Championships in Canada next month.
Jin Wei became the first Malaysian girls’ singles champion in the world juniors in Lima, Peru, in 2015.