KUALA LUMPUR – It would not be an exaggeration to say that Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik are among the few Malaysian athletes with a realistic shot at clinching a medal at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
Their expectations stem from their success at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where they earned a surprising bronze in their debut at the world’s most prestigious multi-sport event.
As the world’s fourth-ranked men’s doubles pair, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) recognises the intense pressure on the nation’s top duo to meet these high expectations.
Speaking to Scoop, BAM administrative director Michelle Chai said the badminton body is committed to ensuring that Aaron and Wooi Yik peak at the right moment, while shielding them from distractions and undue pressures.
Currently, the duo are undergoing a three-day retreat in Penang to relieve the fatigue from competing in three consecutive tournaments since mid-May. The retreat ends tomorrow.
With less than 50 days until the Paris Olympics, it is crucial to prevent the duo from succumbing to pressure, which could hinder their performance.
For instance, at the Tokyo Olympics, several top players failed to meet expectations.
Japanese men’s singles champion Kento Momota was eliminated in the group stage. Similarly, Indonesian favourites Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon were unexpectedly defeated by Aaron and Wooi Yik in the quarterfinals.
“I read Kevin-Marcus’ posts on social media; they mentioned the immense pressure to win gold at the last Olympics. Wherever they went, everyone talked about winning gold.
“However, when the championship came, they could not perform well and were eliminated early,” Michelle said.
“We do not want the same thing to happen to Aaron and Wooi Yik. They need space. As senior players, they know what needs to be done and surely want the gold themselves.
“They should be given enough space to prepare, as the pressure on each player is different,” she said when contacted.
Despite not securing any championship titles in the past six months, Aaron and Wooi Yik have consistently reached at least the quarter-finals on average.
Their best attempt this year was securing the runners-up position at the All England Championships in March. – June 12, 2024