Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM) menerima suntikan semangat apabila Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN) meluluskan program 'Road to Tokyo' dengan peruntukan lebih tinggi demi memastikan wakil negara seiring dengan barisan pencabar pingat Sukan Olimpik 2020.
Setiausaha Agung BAM, Datuk Kenny Goh, menjelaskan program Road to Tokyo mampu membantu skuad badminton negara ke Sukan Olimpik selepas MSN meluluskan peruntukan untuk mereka menyertai lebih banyak kejohanan.
Tambahnya, ini merupakan peluang terbaik buat barisan pemain mengukuhkan kedudukan ranking Olimpik apabila keputusan hanya ditetapkan selepas tarikh kelayakan ditutup 30 April ini.
Ketika ini, peluang cerah dilihat kepada perseorangan lelaki negara, Lee Zii Jia, pasangan beregu lelaki, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, namun beregu campuran, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie perlu meningkatkan kedudukan untuk membawa cabaran negara dalam Sukan Olimpik.
Peruntukan yang diterima turut merangkumi sokongan buat pasangan beregu campuran profesional, Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying, jika mereka layak selepas tarikh akhir kelayakan.
"Kami akan mengutamakan latihan di luar negara seperti yang diterapkan sebelum ini untuk skuad wanita negara yang berlatih di Bangkok dan kami mahu memperluaskan lagi usaha ini," kata Kenny.
Sementara itu, BAM juga bakal melancarkan program khas buat skuad pelapis bagi memberi tumpuan kepada Sukan Olimpik Remaja.
"Tumpuan akan diberikan kepada pemain-pemain yang telah dikenal pasti untuk memperoleh pengalaman serta pendedahan sebagai persiapan menghadapi Sukan Olimpik Remaja."
Penulis Jemputan
Tue Feb 18 2020
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