KUALA LUMPUR – To be crowned Olympic champion, one needs to be in their best shape ever for at least 10 days – and of course, have a bit of luck.
According to former mixed doubles ace Chan Peng Soon, enjoying a good run of form all season long may mean nothing for a player or pair if they cannot sustain it for the entire period of the Olympic competition.
Ahead of the Paris Olympics this month, Scoop spoke to Peng Soon, a 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallist, about the Games this year and what he thinks of the national prospects, namely Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei.
Debutants Tang Jie-Ee Wei have been drawn into Group D alongside world number two Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping of China, Singapore’s Terry Hee-Jessica Tan, and the United States’ Vinson Chiu-Jennie Gai.
The top two pairs from each of the groups, A to D, will advance to the quarter-finals.
“On paper, Tang Jie-Ee Wei have a good chance of reaching the quarter-finals. Standard and level-wise, I see them on par with other top pairs.
“However, this is the Olympics where anything can happen. You think about staging an upset, but someone else can upset you.
“In badminton, form is not permanent. One year, two years, four years, or even a week, things can change. You can win all the tournaments leading up to the Olympics and still crash out in the first round of the Games.
“Simply put, to win the Olympics, one has to be in their best shape ever throughout the entire period of the competition. That is all that matters, and of course, a bit of luck,” said Peng Soon.
Peng Soon, together with his then-partner Goh Liu Ying, made a second appearance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but did not clear the group stage.
The 36-year-old Penangite, who now runs his own academy, CPS Academy, hopes to produce more world-beaters for the future. Hence the reason he roped in several ex-national shuttlers like Lee Meng Yean, Cheah Yee See, and Peck Yen Wei to join his coaching staff.
“That is indeed my hope, to produce a bigger pool of top-quality talents to join the national ranks.
“That is why I brought in high-standard former national shuttlers to be coaches. I want the kids at my academy to have the chance to learn and gain valuable experience from top quality coaches.
“With these former internationals at CPS Academy, we can make sure the young players don’t train or go the wrong way. Hopefully, they will all join the national team in the future,” added Peng Soon.
The badminton competition at the Paris Olympics will start on July 27 at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena.
Currently, the national players, except for men’s singles world No. 7 Lee Zii Jia and women’s singles Goh Jin Wei, are undergoing their final leg of preparation in the northern French town of Aire-sur-la-Lys.
The national camp will head to Paris on Monday. – July 20, 2024
