KUALA LUMPUR - The 24-year-old player, Aaron Chia, who partners Soh Wooi Yik, said they want to be Malaysia’s first gold medallists in the biggest multisport games in the world, scheduled to begin on July 23 in Tokyo, Japan.
“We want to be the first, the first ones ever to get the gold medal,” he was quoted as saying in the Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) website, www.bwfbadminton.com.
The pair, who are ranked ninth in both the world and Race to Tokyo rankings is certain of their Olympics debut.
Malaysia has yet to win the elusive Olympic gold since making its first appearance in the 1956 Melbourne edition (as Malaya).
The Sidek brothers, Datuk Razif and Datuk Seri Jailani delivered country’s first medal, a bronze through men’s doubles event when badminton made its debut at the 1992 Barcelona Games.
The men’s doubles event again set a new milestone when Cheah Soon Kit-Yap Kim Hock partnership bagged first silver medal for the country, four years later at Atlanta Games.
Till the 2016 Rio Olympics, Malaysia has won 11 medals (7 silver, 4 bronze), with the Rio edition being the best outing with four silvers and a bronze. - Bernama, 1 June, 2021
