KUALA LUMPUR – Under the guidance of newly appointed Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) men’s singles head coach Kenneth Jonassen, national player Eogene Ewe, 19, is determined to follow in the footsteps of his idol, two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen.
Eogene said that he is eager to take his game to the next level and is looking forward to adopting some of Jonassen’s European coaching methods.
Jonassen, 50, spent 11 years coaching Badminton Denmark, where he played a pivotal role in the success of players like Axelsen and two-time European champion Anders Antonsen.
While Jonassen will officially begin his duties in January, he made a courtesy visit to Kuala Lumpur this week, where he had his first press conference and began preliminary discussions with the national singles coaches and players.
“I don’t know much about Jonassen as a player, but I do know he was the head coach of Badminton Denmark,” said Eogene.
“When I heard we were going to have a European coach, I was excited because I believe his experience and culture will help us improve further.”
“Jonassen may have left for Denmark, but he took the opportunity to meet with some players and discuss areas for improvement before he joins us again in January.
“He emphasized the importance of discipline and wants us to work on our footwork,” Eogene added.
The Perak-born shuttler also acknowledged that Axelsen’s remarkable achievements are the result of his exceptional professionalism and discipline.
“Axelsen is my idol. Winning two Olympic gold medals is no easy feat in badminton. He’s accomplished this through his discipline, focus on court, and clear goals. I believe I’m on the right path under Jonassen’s guidance, and I will train hard to improve myself.”
World number 103 Eogene aims to break into the world’s top 64 next year.
Alongside Eogene, the men’s singles players in the national senior squad include former Asian junior champion Leong Jun Hao, Ng Tze Yong, and Justin Hoh.
Meanwhile, up-and-coming women’s singles player Siti Zulaikha Azmi is also excited about the opportunity to elevate her game under Jonassen’s coaching methods.
“I’m excited and really looking forward to training under a European coach. Hopefully, this will help me raise my game,” said Siti, 18.
“This year has been quite good, considering I just returned from an Achilles injury and still managed to win a title (Malaysia International Series). I hope to continue improving in the next season and hopefully break into the world top 100.”
The other women’s singles players in the senior squad are K. Letshanaa and Oo Shan Zi. – November 26, 2024
