KUALA LUMPUR – Former Malaysia Open champion James Chua will be joining the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) on July 18.
Speaking to the The Vibes, singles coaching director Wong Choong Hann confirmed this and said James is the right fit for the team after Indra Wijaya left BAM in January as the women’s singles coach.
“Yes it is confirmed, we will have James in the women’s singles department.
“He has been in the picture for quite some time.
“We tried to analyse and consider few other candidates, but based on his qualification and experience, it was a collective decision in BAM to have him as our new addition,” he said.
Indra left BAM early this year to coach ace shuttler Lee Zii Jia as he turned professional.
Choong Hann added that there has been a huge ratio gap between coaches and players, at the moment, in which they hope to balance the two.
With James in the picture, they could provide more focus on the players’ development.
43-year-old James was attached with the Badminton Association of Sarawak since early this year as a coach and team manager.
The Sarawak-born had also won the World Grand Prix at the 2002 Malaysia Open after defeating his fellow teammate and defending champion Ong Ewe Hock in straight games. – The Vibes, July 5, 2022
