TIME RUNNING OUT FOR THEM

Soon Huat-Shevon and Kian Meng-Pei Jing still fighting hard to qualify for Olympics

IF there is one thing independent players Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing can agree on is that time is running out on their Olympic qualifying dreams. With the cancellation of several tournaments and a string of poor performances, both mixed pairs are trying hard to remain optimistic about their chances.

And for the record, there are also injury concerns.

Technically, both pairs still have a mathematical chance of qualifying for the Tokyo Games. However, with only three more qualifying events left, it is going to be a tall order.

“It is going to be very difficult,” Shevon told Timesport yesterday.

“After being dropped from the national squad, and with Covid-19 still a major problem, it feels like it's slipping away.

“But some things are beyond our control. However, this is not the end of the road for us. We still want to continue playing for as long as we can,” she added.

Soon Huat-Shevon are ranked No 11 on the Race to Tokyo list, four rungs below Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying, who have virtually qualified for the Games.

A country can have two pairs in the Olympics if both are ranked in the top eight by June 15.

The India Open on May 11-16, Malaysia Open (May 25-30) and the Singapore Open (June 1-6) are the three remaining Olympic qualifiers.

If all these are not worrying enough, there are also concerns with securing sponsorship deals.

Kian Meng explained that he and Pei Jing can only do their best to stay afloat and hope that sponsors would stand by them.

“We can't control the virus, nor do we have a say when countries decide to cancel their tournaments.

“Pei Jing and I have got no choice but to push ourselves at every given opportunity.

“We know it's dangerous to travel to India, but we have no choice. We won't give up not.

“We just have to believe that anything is possible,” said Kian Meng, who together with Pei Jing are two rungs below Soon Huat-Shevon at No 13.

Both pairs were dropped by the BA of Malaysia (BAM) earlier this year following a performance review.