KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 (Bernama) -- Top national mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei are drawing on the vast experience of coach Nova Widianto to mount a strong challenge at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, scheduled from July 26 to Aug 11.
Tang Jie said they can benefit from Widianto’s experience, especially in dealing with the pressure of playing in the Olympics, because the Indonesian coach won the mixed doubles silver in Beijing 2008 with Liliyana Natsir.
"Besides mental preparation, the intensity of the competition is also different from other tournaments. We have no experience competing at the Olympics, so we need to ask the coach about his preparations then," he told Bernama.
In the 2008 Olympics final, top seeds Widianto-Liliyana lost to South Korea’s Lee Yong Dae-Lee Hyo Jung 11-21, 17-21.
Tang Jie said every pair competing at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena in Paris will have an equal chance of winning gold regardless of their world rankings.
Going by Tang Jie-Ee Wei’s records against the world’s top three, the Malaysians, ranked ninth in the world, need to strengthen themselves mentally and physically to be a serious contender for gold.
They have a 0-4 record against world number one Zheng Si Wei-Huang Ya Qiong from China, who are likely to be the top seeds in Paris.
The Malaysian pair also won only once in three meetings with world number two Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping of China and world number three Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino of Japan.
Tang Jie admitted that they are under pressure as they are making their debut in the Olympics.
The 26-year-old player hopes that he and Ee Wei can cope with the pressure and remain injury-free for the Olympic challenge.
With just two runners-up medals under their belt this year, namely at the Thailand Masters and Swiss Open, can Tang Jie-Ee Wei create a surprise by at least securing a podium position at the 2024 Olympic Games?
Player profile:
Chen Tang Jie
Age: 26
State of birth: Perak
Height: 1.80 cm
Toh Ee Wei
Age: 23
State of birth: Melaka
Height: 1.62 cm
As a pair:
Olympic appearance: First
Highest ranking: Eighth (Dec 12, 2023)
Achievements:
1. Orleans Masters 2023 champions
2. Taiwan Open 2023 champions
3. Thailand Masters 2024 runners-up
4. Swiss Open 2024 runners-up
5. Sudirman Cup 2023 bronze
-- BERNAMA
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