KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s mixed doubles coach, Nova Widianto, is hopeful that his protégés, Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, can finally fulfil his long-held dream of winning a gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games scheduled for July 26.
Nova, who once formed a formidable partnership with Liliana Natsir and secured the world champion title twice in 2005 and 2007, has carried a sense of unfinished business since narrowly missing out on Olympic gold in Beijing 2008.
In the final match, Nova and Liliana were defeated by the South Korean pair of Lee Yong Dae and Lee Hyo Jung.
“As a coach, of course, I have such dreams. I have previously coached Tontowi Ahmad and Liliana Natsir in Indonesia, and I hope Tang Jie-Ee Wei can also win a gold medal.
“It is the hope of any coach to see their players become champions,” said Nova.
Despite scepticism surrounding Tang Jie and Ee Wei’s current ranking as the ninth-best mixed doubles pair in the world, Nova Widianto remains steadfast in his belief.
Tang Jie and Ee Wei are part of the national athletes enlisted in the elite sports programme, Road to Gold, aimed at securing gold medals for Malaysia.
While Tang Jie and Ee Wei may not yet see themselves as top-tier players, Nova maintains unwavering confidence in their abilities after reigniting their spirits following a disappointing showing in the recent Asia Tour.
Their journey encountered a setback when Tang Jie and Ee Wei fell short of winning the Malaysia Masters in May, losing in the semi-finals.
Their subsequent performances did not improve, as they were knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open a week later and faced an early exit in the Indonesia Open soon after.
“As I have said before, we do not need to dwell on past events, because what matters is that they have improved. If we keep focusing on past results, we will not be able to fully concentrate on the Olympics.
“I want the players to forget what has happened and give their all at the Olympics. I remind them to consider this as their last chance to perform at the Olympics, who knows if there will be another opportunity in the future,” he added.
Malaysia’s best achievement in mixed doubles at the Olympic Games came through Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying at the Rio de Janeiro in 2016. – July 10, 2024
