PARIS: Hopes are high that the badminton squad will maintain their current positive momentum at the 2024 Paris Olympics here after hopes in shooting and swimming evaporated at the early stages.
National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Abdul Rashid Yaakub hopes the shuttlers will be able to continue their progress and go the distance in the competition in search of success for the Malaysian contingent.
“We are still in the early stages of the competition and we hope upon reaching the knockout stage, which will be more important and challenging, the players can showcase better prowess and performance to ensure victory in their respective matches.
“So far, sports that we expected to produce positive performance has lived up to expectations. The condition of the athletes is also good and they are free from injuries,” he told reporters during a press conference, here yesterday.
The badminton camp received praise for their performance, especually the country’s top women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah who pulled off a pleasant surprise by beating two times world champions Mayu Matsumoto-Wakana Nagahara from Japan on Sunday, while mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei humbled the world number two pair Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping from China, yesterday.
Meanwhile, chef-de-mission (CDM) Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said hopes remain high that all four representatives in badminton would qualify for the quarterfinals, especially after men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and mixed doubles pair Tang Jie-Ee Wei booked their tickets to the quarterfinals.
“I hope the high level of confidence and inspiration in the badminton camp can serve as a motivation to other athletes in the Malaysian camp to raise their performance in sports like archery, golf, cycling and weightlifting.
“Feel good factors like what Lee Zii Jia told me yesterday (July 28) that the win by his fellow team mates had provided a much needed inspiration to him is good,” he said.
Pearly-Thinaa will face world number six pair Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti from Indonesia today while Zii Jia takes on Pablo Abian from Spain in the men’s singles while Goh Jin Wei set up a date with South Korean Kim Ga Eun on Wednesday.
Victories in their final group matches would ensure their slots in the quarterfinals.
Hamidin added that the below par performances of shooter Johnathan Wong (men’s 10m air pistol), swimmer Tan Rouxin (women’s 100m breastroke), Khiew Hoe Yean (men’s 400m freestyle), and the archery trio — Ariana Nur Dania Mohamad Zairi, Syaqiera Masyahikh and Nurul Azreena Mohd Fazil (team event) — saw them eliminated in the early stages.
Speaking of international media reports that there was a food shortage at the Games Village and transportation issues from the Games Village to venues, he said such issues had been rectified by the organisers after receiving reports during the CDM meeting.
“There are bound to be minor issues at the Games Village because we cannot expect perfect services like those provided by hotels. There was an instance when there was a shortage of food due to the large number of athletes and officials dining but it was replenished quickly,” he said.
Road to Gold (RTG) programme coordinator Datuk Stuart Ramalingam said the setting up of Malaysia House at a hotel near the Games Village since July 22, helped overcome issues of food shortage for the Malaysian camp.
He added that the Malaysia House which was set up for the first time through the RTG initiative, also provided other support services like physiotheraphy, psychology, dietary specialists and massuers.
“Almost every day we have athletes using the facilities available at the Malaysia House, including Pearly and Thinaah who received chiropratic treatment,” he said. — BERNAMA
