KUALA LUMPUR — Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik are still adapting to a new training programme under national men’s doubles head coach Herry Iman Pierngadi as they prepare for the 2025 All England badminton championships from March 11-16.
“They have a good chance, but I feel their preparations have not yet reached the maximum level. Aaron and Wooi Yik are still adapting to my training programmes,” Herry said when met at the national squad’s training session at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) today, Bernama reported.
Despite this, Herry remains optimistic that the Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallists can end Malaysia’s long wait for a men’s doubles title at the prestigious tournament.
The last time Malaysia won the All England men’s doubles title was in 2007, when Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong defeated China’s Fu Haifeng and Chai Yun in the final. Aaron and Wooi Yik have come close, finishing as runners-up in 2019 and 2024.
Herry believes that the presence of seven Malaysian men’s doubles pairs in this year’s tournament will further improve the country’s chances of reclaiming the title.
“It will provide healthy competition among national men’s doubles players and motivate them to perform better,” he said.
According to the Badminton World Federation’s list of participating players, four national pairs will compete: Aaron-Wooi Yik, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King, and Chong Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal Nazri.
They will be joined by three independent pairs—world number two Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, and Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub-Tan Wee Kiong. — February 21, 2025