KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — Former national men’s doubles player Koo Kien Keat has advised national men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia – Soh Wooi Yik to continue to improve themselves and maintain a high level of confidence following their historic win in the 2022 World Badminton Championship in Tokyo, Japan today.
This is because champions will become the focus of many rivals, who will study their game and approach in every match.
“When I was 21 and won the 2006 Asian Games (gold medal) and became the 2007 All-England champion, people started monitoring us and reading our game plan in detail.
“Keep up the trust in the coach and move forward for other bigger tournaments like Asian Games and Olympics,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.
2020 Tokyo Olympic bronze medallists Aaron – Wooi Yik ended Malaysia’s 45-year wait when they beat three-time Indonesian champions Mohammad Ahsan – Hendra Setiawan 21 – 19, 21 – 14 in the 40-minute finals at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, just days ahead of the National Day celebrations on August 31.
Kien Keat, who won the silver with his partner Tan Boon Heong at the 2010 World Championship in Paris, said that Aaron – Wooi Yik has a clearer game plan compared to previously.
“To me, they still don’t have a particular ‘weapon’ but this time they played very clearly, they had a game plan where both players understood their roles on the court,” he said.
This was Aaron – Wooi Yik’s fourth showing at the World Championship, having made it to the quarterfinals stage in the 2018 edition in Nanjing, China.
Malaysia has made it to the finals a total of nine times since the championship began in 1977, five times in the men’s singles and four in the men’s doubles.
Former national champion, Datuk Lee Chong Wei has made the most appearances, four in total, in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Other players who made appearances in the championship are Wong Choong Hann (2003), doubles pairs Datuk Seri Jalani – Datuk Razif Sidek (1987), Cheah Soon Kit – Soo Beng Kiang (1993), Soon Kit – Yap Kim Hock (1997) and Kien Keat – Boon Heong in 2010.
— Bernama
