Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM) mengakui sengaja menunggu prestasi Liew Daren dalam Kejohanan Dunia minggu lalu sebelum memutuskan dia sebagai pengganti mutlak Datuk Lee Chong Wei ke Sukan Asia Indonesia 2018.
Sebelum nama Daren disahkan sebagai pengganti Chong Wei, barisan kejurulatihan negara turut menawarkan nama Cheam Jun Wei.
Atas dasar itu, perubahan yang diumumkan semalam disifatkan sebagai satu keputusan terburu-buru.
Keberkesanan Daren untuk beraksi dalam saingan individu dan berpasukan mencetuskan persoalan memandangkan dia mengalami kecederaan dalam laluan mlayakkan diri ke separuh akhir dalam aksi di Nanjing, China pada minggu lalu.
"Sebelum ini, kami menunggu maklum balas daripada barisan jurulatih mengenai Jun Wei," kata Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kejurulatihan dan Latihan (C&T) BAM, Datuk Ng Chin Chai.
"Jika dianalisis prestasi Daren sejak Januari, karier yang dia lalui menampakkan kebangkitan. Bermula daripada Thailand Masters, dia layak ke separuh akhir. Kami mendapati ia satu keputusan yang bagus.
"Jadi, muncul selaku wakil Malaysia ketiga yang mengutip pingat dalam Kejohanan Dunia membuatkan kami rasa dia layak berada dalam skuad.
"Jika dia boleh mengekalkan prestasi seperti di China, Daren mungkin mampu membantu Malaysia meraih pingat di Indonesia nanti," ujarnya.
Penulis Jemputan
Wed Aug 08 2018
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