Ketua pasukan badminton Malaysia, Goh Soon Huat, mengingatkan rakan sepasukan agar tidak gentar dengan reputasi tuan rumah, China, apabila mereka berentap dalam perlawanan pembukaan Kumpulan 1D Piala Sudirman 2019 petang ini.
Berbanding China, Malaysia menyenaraikan barisan pemain muda dengan ada antara mereka yang tidak pernah beraksi dalam saingan Piala Sudirman.
Di atas kertas, prestasi semasa dan ranking dunia menjadi pemisah di antara kedua-dua negara, namun Soon Huat sebagai pemain paling senior dalam skuad negara mahu rakan sepasukan memberikan tentangan sengit apabila berdepan juara 10 kali itu.
"Kami sebagai bukan pilihan hanya mahu masuk ke gelanggang dan berjuang, tidak kira apa keputusannya. Kami hanya mahu memberikan yang terbaik," kata Soon Huat.
Dalam masa sama, ketika sesi latihan terakhir skuad negara di Pusat Sukan Guang Xi, Nanning semalam, Soon Huat turut kelihatan menguruskan kebajikan rakan sepasukan bersama pengurus, Wong Choon Hann, serta pegawai perubatan tempatan.
Choon Hann sebelum itu dilaporkan mengalami keracunan makanan, namun masalah itu tidak menimpa barisan pemain negara yang lain dan berada dalam keadaan terbaik untuk bertemu China.
"Kami hanya sediakan sedikit ubat buat pemain. Saya rasa semuanya berjalan dengan baik," tambah Soon Huat.
"Bagi saya, semua sama kerana kami merupakan satu pasukan. Jadi, kami akan berjuang sebagai satu pasukan," ujarnya.
Penulis Jemputan
Sun May 19 2019
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