KUALA LUMPUR – The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) wants national shuttlers, especially those listed in the Road to Gold (RTG) project to show consistency in every tournament they participate in as the hunt for qualifying points for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has already started.
Its president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said that the sports body always provides appropriate support to national shuttlers regardless of whether BAM or professionals sponsor them.
According to the Olympic’s format for badminton, which started yesterday until April 28 next year, each country can be represented by a maximum of two singles if they both rank in the top 16 and two doubles if they both rank in the top eight.
“The qualification process has already started and will conclude one year from now. It is most important for the shuttlers as they know the Badminton World Federation will look at the 10 best games for qualification points.
“What we want is – with RTG and assistance provided – for these shuttlers to continue to improve and show consistency until they reach their peak before April 2024,” he told reporters after attending the Malaysian Sportswriters Association Aidilfitri open house at the Seri Selangor Golf Club yesterday.
In the meantime, Norza is ready to propose several shuttlers who displayed energetic performances to the RTG committee for consideration such as national mixed doubles Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei who won the Orleans Masters Badminton Championship last month.
“There are badminton fans who ask why we don’t look at names such as Tang Jie-Ee Wei and national men's single player Ng Tze Yong, but it is a process. Any shuttler we need to take to the Olympic fast track will be considered by RTG as (currently) it’s only the starting list,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian chef de mission to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said he will meet with all shuttlers listed under the RTG project this weekend to discuss the support that they may need.
RTG, introduced by the Youth and Sports Ministry last month, is a national project aimed at coordinating the country’s efforts in its quest to bag Malaysia’s first Olympic Games gold medal, covering the Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 editions.
The Sports Ministry previously announced that shuttlers dominate the list of athletes, as from the 15 athletes selected in the RTG programme, 11 are shuttlers, namely the men’s doubles bronze medalist of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik; national professional champion, Lee Zii Jia; and women’s doubles Pearly Tan-M. Thinah.
Three professional doubles pairs are also on the list, namely mixed doubles Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie and the men’s doubles, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi. – Bernama, May 2, 2023
