Rashid believes shuttlers can meet BAM’s two-gold target
Posted by valsus on November 30, 2009
PETALING JAYA : After a humiliating outing at the Korat SEA Games two years ago, Malaysia will be out to salvage some pride in Laos this time.
And national chief coach Rashid Sidek (pic) believes that they have a solid team to meet the two-gold medal target set by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).
“In Korat, we sent a back-up team. This time, we have shuttlers who are able to challenge for a medal in every event. We are looking forward to a good harvest of medals this time,” said Rashid.
In the men’s singles, world number one Lee Chong Wei will be aiming to end his jinx in the individual event after failing to win a gold at the 2005 Manila SEA Games.
His main challengers will be Indonesians Sony Dwi Kuncoro and Simon Santoso, Vietnam’s Nguyen Tien Minh and Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana.
All four have beaten Chong Wei this year.
Malaysia will also be banking on Koo Kien Keat to shine in two events – the men’s doubles with Tan Boon Heong and the mixed doubles with Wong Pei Tty.
In the women’s competition, top singles shuttler Wong Mew Choo and top pair Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty will be seeking their second SEA Games gold medal in the series.
In the team competition, the men have a better shot at ending their four-year title drought while the women are likely to end up empty-handed again.
Top seeds Malaysia are expected to take on Indonesia in the men’s final while the women’s march is expected to be halted by the Indonesians in the last four.
