KUALA LUMPUR: National men’s doubles pair Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun stand a chance to book a slot at the 2024 Olympic Games if they can maintain their performance at the Malaysian Masters 2023 which ended yesterday.
National men’s doubles coach Tan Bin Shen said the performance shown by the pair who are ranked 26th in the world at the Super 500 tournament was a good start for them before participating in tournaments at a higher level such as the Super 1000 to qualify for Paris 2024.
However, he said other pairs, including junior ones who showed good performance and participate in Super 1000 tournaments, also have the opportunity to qualify for the Olympics which only take place every four years.
“Wei Chong-Kai Wun stand a chance to qualify for the Olympics, good start for them. I hope next they will stay consistent and learn from it, then perform.
“But if there are other players, including junior shuttlers, who are able to compete in Super 1000 tournaments, they also have a chance,“ he told reporters when met after the finals of the Malaysian Masters 2023 at the Axiata Arena here, yesterday.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) previously had announced that the qualifying period for the 2024 Olympics is from 1 May 2023 to 28 April 2024 and the quota for badminton events remains at 172 places involving 86 men and 86 women.
For the doubles events, each country’s maximum quota is two places if both pairs are ranked in the top eight on the qualification deadline and there must be at least one pair from each of the five continental confederations, provided they are ranked in the top 50.
Earlier, Wei Chong-Kai Wun had made it to the finals of the Malaysian Masters for the first time after defeating Indonesian pair Leo Rolly Carnando-Daniel Marthin 21-17, 22-20 in the semi-finals but lost in the final to the South Korean duo of Kang Min Hyuk-Seo Seung Jae 15 -21, 24-22, 19-21.
Meanwhile, commenting on the performance of the country’s top men’s doubles pair and 2022 world champions Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik at the Malaysian Masters, Bin Shen said they lost due to lack of fitness and defense finesse.
“”In terms of their fitness and strength, they have to improve, their game plan has to change. For me, their performance is still okay, because the first round was tough, their performance is still on track.
“I hope Aaron-Wooi Yik will qualify (for the Olympics) I think they can handle this, I’m still confident (that they will go to the Olympics),“ he said.
Aaron-Wooi Yik lost to Leo Rolly Carnando-Daniel Marthin of Indonesia18-21, 19-21 in the quarter-finals on Friday. -Bernama
