Kebangkitan skuad perseorangan lelaki menerusi rentetan kejuaraan daripada kudrat muda menjadi bukti Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM) ada ramuan menjayakan Projek 24 yang menjanjikan pingat emas dalam Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024.
Persoalan yang timbul susulan persaraan Datuk Lee Chong Wei -- adakah BAM memiliki bakat yang berupaya meneruskan legasinya?
Selain Lee Zii Jia yang bersaing secara konsisten di pentas elit dunia, skuad kendalian Datuk Misbun Sidek itu turut mencetus keterujaan menerusi pemain muda.
Ng Tze Yong merupakan pemain negara yang terbaru merekodkan kejuaraan susulan kemenangan dalam Terbuka Australia Selatan, Ahad lalu.
Sebulan sebelum itu, Lim Chong King muncul juara Terbuka Hellas di Greece dengan menewaskan seorang lagi prospek masa depan negara, Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin.
"Walaupun baru sahaja berlatih bersama skuad negara dalam tempoh sembilan bulan, mereka dapat menampilkan permainan yang menyerlah kerana cepat menyesuaikan diri dengan corak latihan yang telah ditetapkan," katanya.
Untuk memastikan aspirasi Projek 24 yang masih menanti kelulusan kepimpinan BAM, Misbun berasakan badan induk itu perlu bijak berbelanja dan bersabar dengan kegagalan sehingga tempoh masa kemuncak di Olimpik Paris 2024.
"Kami tidak boleh menghasilkan seorang pemain dan menjadikan dia sebagai seorang juara. Jangka masa panjang diperlukan bagi mengenal pasti potensi sebenar pemain tersebut bagi mendapatkan kemampuan sebenarnya."
Penulis Jemputan
Wed Sep 18 2019
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