Staying fit key for Aaron-Wooi Yik ahead of 2028 Olympics
Published on: Tuesday, August 13, 2024
By:
FMT, Mohd Farhan Darwis
Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, who have won bronze medals at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, have set their sights on glory at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
PETALING JAYA: Two-time Olympics bronze medallists Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik are determined to maintain their fitness levels as they set their sights on glory at the next Olympic Games in 2028.
At a press conference in Bukit Kiara today, the national doubles pair said they are fully aware that they must stay fit and healthy to qualify for the Los Angeles Games.
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They will have to sit out the upcoming Japan Open (Aug 20-25) and Korean Open (Aug 27-Sept 1) after Wooi Yik picked up an injury en route to bronze in Paris. However, they could make a return at the Hong Kong Open from Sept 10 to 15.
Wooi Yik said he and Aaron have often talked about the need for their partnership to remain durable to achieve more success in the sport.
"We haven’t reached the top yet. That is our target – to win major tournaments," he said, adding that his partnership with Aaron has been "very good, very mature"..
The duo, currently ranked world No 3, first paired up in 2015. They became Malaysia’s first world badminton champions after winning the men’s doubles title at the 2022 World Championships.
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Their other achievements include gold at the 2019 SEA Games, silver at the 2022 Asian Championships, and bronze at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Asked if they have had any misunderstandings when working together, Aaron said such issues were only natural.
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"There have been a lot of misunderstandings and miscommunication over the last few years, even with the coach. (But) things are getting better. I think the most important thing is communication," he said.
National coaching director Rexy Mainaky said partnerships are never without their challenges, adding that there will always be differences when two people work together.
However, he said, such squabbles help partners learn more about one another, and ultimately, shape them into a better unit.
“Don’t always expect things to be smooth in a partnership. There will always be differences, but they know how to manage them. That’s the difference between world-class players and those who aren’t," he said.
Asked whether they had any plans to leave the national set-up, the duo attributed their success to the Badminton Association of Malaysia and said they were confident of continuing to do well if they stayed.
Yesterday, Buletin Utama reported that men’s doubles pair of Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani have decided to leave the national set-up to continue their careers as professional players.
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