Jin Wei focusing on full recovery, not Tokyo Olympics spot

Goh Jin Wei conceded that she might not make it in time for the SEA Games in November, let alone the Olympics in Tokyo next July.

While most of her team-mates were busy preparing for tournaments and chasing ranking points, the national women's singles shuttler was seeing doctors more than badminton courts due to her stomach ailment.

She missed out on almost all tournaments since the Olympics qualifying period started in May, with her last competitive action coming almost four months ago at the Australian Open, where she lost in the second round to team-mate Soniia Cheah.

Goh, who just returned to training this month, said badminton was the last thing on her mind after being plagued with the problem.

"There are not many tournaments left [for me to get ranking points to qualify for the Olympics], perhaps only eight or nine. I will try my best to make it, but time is against me," said Goh at a badminton event launch last week.

"I spent a lot of time trying to find the cure for this [stomach] problem, including visiting specialists to get opinions.

"I didn't think much about badminton to be honest. I was on high dosage of medication and just needed to get back to being normal.

"I'm still on oral medication at this point, but I am 80 percent recovered."

The two-time world junior champion has been penciled to take part in the Denmark Open (October 15-20) and French Open (October 22-27), but she would only do so if she is back to full fitness and if someone pulls out.

"I'm at the top of the reserve list at this point because my ranking has dropped a lot, but I will not play if I’m not fully fit," said the world no. 35.

Despite the ailment bugging her for most parts of the year, the diminutive shuttler still managed two semi-final appearances this year at the Malaysia Masters and German Open.

Goh’s biggest win this year was against world number one Akane Yamaguchi, whom she dispatched in straight games at the Malaysia Masters.