The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Rashid urges players to stay motivated and set higher targets
- Kim Her plays down fears of injury at different training venue
- Sonia vows to make memorable debut at World C’ships
| Rashid urges players to stay motivated and set higher targets Posted: 26 Jun 2013 03:26 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: National singles head coach Rashid Sidek believes that the shuttlers need to motivate themselves and set their own targets ... otherwise "no amount of training can help them". Rashid held up world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei as an excellent role model. He, however, said the other shuttlers in the squad had a mental barrier which prevented them from pushing just as hard. "Look, we can give these shuttlers the same training programme that Chong Wei has but, honestly, it's up to them to make full use of it," said Rashid. "Most times they aren't able to last that long because they think that Chong Wei is on a different level and they simply can't achieve that. "While Chong Wei is on a higher level, he only got so far because he is focused and motivates himself without needing us coaches to do too much. That sets him apart from the others." Rashid also praised Chong Wei Feng for showing improvement of late, unlike Liew Daren, who hasn't improved much since winning the French Open last year. Wei Feng made the semi-finals of the Asia Badminton Championships in April and was a quarter-finalist in the Singapore Open last week. He is currently ranked a career high 12th in the world. Daren has failed to reproduce his form from last year and has dropped to No. 16 in the world. "Overall, Wei Feng is the more impressive one, in terms of attitude and results," said Rashid. "Daren has not improved much and has been far too defensive on court. "He still has much to learn, in terms of the game and his attitude and he needs to motivate himself more in order to reproduce his form. "Right now we just want Daren to relax a little and not to be be too hard on himself so that he can regain some self-confidence." Daren and Wei Feng will join Chong Wei at the World Championships in Guangzhou from Aug 5-11. |
| Kim Her plays down fears of injury at different training venue Posted: 26 Jun 2013 03:26 PM PDT PETALING JAYA: National doubles chief coach Tan Kim Her has played down fears of his charges getting injured training now that they are training at a different venue. Two years ago, former world junior champion Chooi Kah Ming seriously injured his knee and was out for six months while training at an outside venue. After finding themselves shut out from their regular training ground – the Juara Stadium, which will be used as a venue for the Malaysia Games (Sukma) for netball – the doubles squad are training at the Ara Badminton Court in Kayu Ara while the singles shuttlers are going through their paces at the Lee Chong Wei Sports Arena at Taman Sri Sentosa. This time, Kim Her said that they are better prepared and have taken precautions to avoid injuries as the shuttlers prepare for the World Championships, which will be held in Guangzhou from Aug 5-11. "So far everything is looking good and there are no new injury concerns. We are doing our best not to over-exert the players on a different surface from the one we usually train on," said Kim Her. "There are no problems with the temporary shift of venue because we are used to it and can adapt. Anywhere we go, we'll be fine. "For now, the main focus is on the World Championships ... everything else should not be an issue or distraction. "As for (Koo) Kien Keat and (Tan) Boon Heong, their focus is also on the world meet and everything that has happened this year is in the past. "What's important is that they stay focused and be positive for the next few weeks ... we're giving them all the support they need." Boon Heong agreed with his coach and stressed that the world meet "is all we're thinking of right now". "It's all about the World Championships. We're only focused on that. The rest we'll discuss later," said Boon Heong. The other pairs heading for Guangzhou are Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong, Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah and professional duo Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari. The Malaysian squad will head for Hong Kong on July 25 for a 10-day training before the world meet. |
| Sonia vows to make memorable debut at World C’ships Posted: 26 Jun 2013 04:32 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: Top woman singles shuttler Sonia Cheah can't wait for the World Championships to begin. The tournament, to be held in Guangzhou from Aug 5-11, will be her first world meet and also her first outing in China. The 19-year-old Sonia has come of age this year with several impressive performances to rise to a career-high 37th in the world ranking and earn a spot in the world meet. Sonia, however, admitted that her recent performances have not been the best and is working doubly hard to ensure that her first trip to China will not end in disappointment. "I have never played in China before ... not even as a junior. So, I'm really excited ... and nervous, at the same time," said Sonia after a training session at the Lee Chong Wei Sports Arena in Taman Sri Sentosa here yesterday. "I've not been at my best of late. In the Singapore Open last week, I lost in the first round to South Korea's Sung Ji-hyun ... I was unable to play to my highest standards. "It's disappointing because I know I can do better. Inexperience was a factor but I'm learning to adapt. "I have no specific targets for the world meet because I really don't know what to expect. I just want to play well so that even if I lose, I'll have no regrets about my performance. "We're training harder now ... at a higher level of intensity." Malaysia will also be represented by world No. 43 Tee Jing Yi at the world meet in women's singles. This will be first time since 2010 that Malaysia will be represented in the women's singles at the world meet. Wong Mew Choo, now retired, and Sonia's older sister Lydia competed in the 2010 World Championships in Paris, losing in the second round. |
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