A shot in the arm
Joo Ven and Tang Jie-Yen Wei shortlisted for Olympic qualifiers
KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttlers Soong Joo Ven and Chen Tang Jie-Peck Yen Wei have been served with a chance of a lifetime as they have been earmarked to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Badminton Association of Malaysia ( BAM) coaching director Wong Choong Hann named his dream team yesterday as he wants to have two qualifiers in every event for the Tokyo Games.
The one-year Olympic qualifying period begins in May next year.
Joo Ven has been one of the players in danger of facing the axe in the BAM’s latest trimming exercise but Choong Hann’s announcement has handed him a lifeline.
Joo Ven is the third men’s singles player in the list after Lee Chong Wei and Lee Zii Jia.
Choong Hann has thrown Joo Ven’s name in the mix in case Chong Wei or Zii Jia fails to make the cut. Chong Wei will be returning to training next year after recovering from nose cancer and it’s unsure whether he can return to his top form.
Choong Hann also has former Asian Junior Champion Leong Jun Hao in mind but the latter has been sidelined for at least three months with a hip injury.
Joo Ven has shown improvement in recent months as he finished runner-up in the Hyderabad Open in September before reaching the quarter-finals in the Dutch Open and Korean Masters to end the season as the world No. 76.
“At this point, Joo Ven is part of the plan,” said Choong Hann.
“We’re monitoring Jun Hao’s condition but we want to give him more time to recover because he is in our long-term plan and we don’t want to wear him out with the urgency to come back.”
In the mixed doubles department, youngsters Tang Jie-Yen Wei will contest for an Olympic place together with Goh Soon HuatShevon Lai Jemie and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing.
“We are standing by Tang Jie-Yen Wei as they are a promising pair. Within a year, they have shot up into the top 30,” said Choong Hann.
“We want them to gain experience in the first quarter of the year in preparation for the Olympic qualifiers.”
Meanwhile, Choong Hann has reminded his players to adapt quickly following the changes in the national team.
Four national coaches – Cheah Soon Kit (men’s doubles), Rony Agustinus (women’s singles), Sairul Amar Ayob (men’s singles), Lim Pek Siah (women’s doubles) and one Bukit Jalil Sports School coach Zhou Kejian have left the fold.
National No. 1 mixed doubles pair Chang Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying have resigned along with five other shuttlers – Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin (men’s singles), Lee Zii Yii (women’s singles), Woon Khe Wei, Tan Sueh Jeou and Goh Yea Ching (women’s doubles).
“It’s normal to be uncomfortable with all these changes but the players must learn to adapt. Ultimately, I want the players to focus on how to improve themselves.