Badminton: 36-years drought ended
Monday, December 11th, 2006 | 10:55 am @ SK
[UPDATED VERSION] The coach was wrecked and once threatened to quit.
Yesterday, after 36-years of medal dry spell, young and unseeded Malaysian pair of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong end the drought with their superb attacking play.
Now, we’re relieved that there shouldn’t be any excuse (if there is any) for doubles chief coach Rexy Mainaky to quit, the main architect of the new remarkable combination.
Congratulations on the outstanding achievement, from all Malaysian badminton supporters. Desire for more!
"In fact, this is a problem with all the Malaysian pairs. They lose focus easily and this is the major reason why they lack consistency.
"This has a lot to do with self-discipline. Training is where all the hard work is done and if the right attitude is not there, then we are fighting a lost cause. If a player takes it easy in a training match, whereby trailing 0-5 is not a problem, it becomes a habit even in tournaments.
"Our players have this problem. […]
"Kien Keat-Boon Heong have promised to work hard on returning to Malaysia but saying it here and actually doing it are two different things.
"There will be outside influences and other lures but they must be above all that. Winning here is good but this should only be the start.
"The target should be the Olympics and all I ask for is support from all quarters.
"Let the coaches and players work. We have our targets and if I fail to deliver, I will tender my resignation.
"I am a professional. Already, the Indonesian media has spoken to me about how they are going to pressure the authorities back home to hire me as the doubles coach.
"There has also been an approach about me returning to England but I have spoken to my wife and she is happy in Malaysia.
"But there are still some issues that I need to discuss with BAM upon returning but Kien Keat-Boon Heong have shown that Malaysia can win titles and I, as a professional, am determined to help them and the other pairs to the best of my ability."
December 10th, 2006 at 4:50 pm
That’s the best performance ever to come from the Malaysian badminton players! KKK and TBH played so brilliantly! Awesome.
Congratulations to them!! Well done :)
December 10th, 2006 at 10:03 pm
[…] Original post by MageP’s Lab […]
December 11th, 2006 at 9:52 pm
At last we have the gold in the Doubles for almost 36 years. It was simply fantastic and if the boys are playing at that level I bet more successes are waiting for them to reap.I hope the boys are to stay focuss and double their effort in training and not to be too complacent or else it would be like a yoyo.
December 12th, 2006 at 12:13 am
Congratulations!
Only Chinese can focus and deliver results. Gong-hei Gong-hei.
[SK] Are you sure it’s ONLY chinese that deliver medals? With PM now busy promoting national unity, this is the last thing that we’d love to hear from this blog. I thought Asian Games is the best time for us to support every participant irregardless of races from Malaysian point of view, however unfortunately, you’re one among many out there who aren’t able to see beyond races and skin colour.
Luckily no one ran Amok in Doha… for failure to win medals.
Let those putra-putra continue dozing off, and see their stupidity games in space.
December 12th, 2006 at 10:56 am
Congratulations Malaysia!!!!
The sporting spirits still sucks anyway.
I don’t know how much Malaysia do well in the Doha games… I am more interested to know how Nicol David perform… but yet the news of Measat is more appealing to me.
Anyway, since Malaysian sports men and women are not reowned for consistency. It is good to capture their highlights whenever opportunities arise.
This may not last.
January 20th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
[…] Malaysian Asian Games doubles gold medallists Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong secured their berth in the finals on Sunday after clearing the semifinal hurdles in the Malaysia Open 2007 badminton championship held at Kuala Lumpur Stadium. […]
July 27th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
[…] release), who in their first six months, took the doubles scene by storm as they went on to win the Doha Asian Games gold in December, the Malaysia, All England and Swiss […]