KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 — The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) said it will ensure there are two representatives in each category at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after having only one representative per category listed for the Paris Games this year.
BAM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said the dream has yet to come true and therefore it requires help and commitment from various parties to ensure badminton continues to be the biggest contributor of medals for the country at the most prestigious games in the world.
“We have a target of getting two representatives for each category which has not yet been achieved. But it is still a proud achievement (to have one representative).
“We want to double it and we will ask the government for help, especially through the Road to Gold programme, so we can realise two representatives in the men’s and women’s singles, in addition to the doubles category (men, women, mixed),” he told Bernama after opening a sports conference here today.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) released a list of athletes who qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which saw five Malaysians — men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia, Goh Jin Wei (women’s singles), Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (men’s doubles) — listed in the sporting event, which will be held from July 26 to August 11.
It also involved women’s doubles players Pearly Tan-M.Thinaah and mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei.
Norza believes the five athletes making their Olympic debut will not face any problem in facing the pressures of the tournament.
“For us, Jin Wei (women’s singles), Pearly-Thinaah (women’s doubles) and Tang Jie-Ee Wei have had enough exposure (participating in big tournaments) and are not under great pressure.”
In its participation at the Olympics since 1964, Malaysia has won 13 medals — nine of them through badminton (six silver and three bronze).
— Bernama
