Rashid and Seu Bock back Chong Wei’s bid to carry on playing

National coaches Rashid Sidek and Tey Seu Bock have backed Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei’s bid to carry on playing for two more years although it is time for a break while the search for his successor begins.
Chong Wei arrived at the KLIA on Tuesday after falling short in his attempt to win Malaysia’s first gold medal, losing to arch-rival Lin Dan in a closely-contested final.
It was his second successive silver medal after his 2008 achievement in Beijing.

 

It sparkles: Lee Chong Wei showing his silver medal after returning to Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. — AZHAR MAHFOF / The Star

And the 30-year-old has quashed rumours that he will retire next year, stating that he will carry on for another two years – until the 2014 Asian and Commonwealth Games, and if possible, the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janerio.
Seu Bock believes that Chong Wei can still play for four more years, “although it will depend on his physical condition”.
“If he wants to play until 2016, and if his condition is still fine, I will definitely support his decision,” said Seu Bock.
“But we’ll have to take things slowly now because he’s not that young anymore and his recovery period is longer. Chong Wei is an aggressive player and that will take a toll on his body.
“Right now, however, it’s time for a break – one week to be exact – before he returns to training.
He will then leave to compete in the China Badminton League at the end of this month before the Japan Open in September (18-23).” Rashid also believes that Chong Wei has the ability to play on until the 2016 Games.
But he said it would be more beneficial to whip the back-up shuttlers into shape to qualify for the Olympics in four years’ time.
There are five shuttlers under the BA of Malaysia’s (BAM) Project 2016 squad – Misbun Ramdan Misbun, Loh Wei Sheng, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif, Iskandar Zulkarnian Zainuddin and KLRC’s Zulfadli Zulkifli.
“I feel that Chong Wei can still carry on and qualify for the 2016 Games but, given his age, it will not be a guaranteed medal,” said Rashid.
“He has his own high standards and only Chong Wei will know whether he will be able to make the grade in four years’ time.”
For now, Rashid and the other coaches will have to push the back-up shuttlers harder to make the grade.
“We have already started sending the younger shuttlers to more tournaments – approximantely 10-12 competitions a year,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter whether if they are from Ramdan’s batch or the older ones like Arif and (Chong) Wei Feng because they have to step up and make a difference. Even the younger ones from BJSS will be given a chance.
“The immediate goal now is to make sure these players improve their rankings because it will give them belief and confidence to strive for further improvements.”
Courtesy of The Star