KUALA LUMPUR – Former national men’s singles player, Ong Ewe Hock, has lent his full support to the decision made by the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) to include Cheam June Wei, one of his proteges, as a potential candidate to represent Malaysia in the coming Thomas Cup.
The championship is scheduled to be held in Chengdu, China, from April 28 to May 5.
Ewe Hock, who has been coaching June Wei since November last year, views BAM’s initiative as a commendable step towards tapping into qualified talents for crucial tournaments like the Thomas Cup.
While BAM has yet to unveil the final roster for the championship, June Wei’s current world ranking at 61st places him as the fourth-best men’s singles player in Malaysia, following closely behind Lee Zii Jia (ranked 11th), Ng Tze Yong (ranked 18th) and Leong Jun Hao (ranked 37th).
“June Wei contacted me to inform that BAM has called him to train with the national players at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM), Bukit Kiara, and I encouraged him.
“For championships like this, there’s no distinction between BAM players or professional players, everyone called upon will give their best for Malaysia.
“For me, BAM should list him because, for the Thomas Cup, we need to send the best team, as this is a world team championship. June Wei is the fourth-best men’s singles player in Malaysia.
“I don’t believe this is the right moment for us to experiment by sending young players. While I can understand their participation in events like the SEA Games, the Thomas Cup demands a different level of experience and expertise,” Ewe Hock told Scoop.
Earlier, the national coaching team encountered a challenge as Malaysia’s options for men’s singles players were limited.
Tze Yong was still recuperating from a back injury, while Zii Jia had yet to confirm his availability, prioritising preparations for the Paris Olympic Games scheduled for July.
Therefore, if both players are unable to participate in the Thomas Cup, BAM would have no choice but to rely on a line-up comprising young and relatively inexperienced players, with lower world rankings.
For the record, June Wei previously represented Malaysia in the Thomas Cup during the 2020 edition held in Aarhus, Denmark, serving as the country’s second men’s singles player.
BAM now has only about a week left before naming the top-10 players who will compete in Chengdu, ahead of the player-registration deadline on April 13. – April 6, 2024