Pemain beregu lelaki negara, Aaron Chia, mengakui tergugat dengan persaingan tiga penjuru antara wakil Malaysia yang mengidamkan slot ke Olimpik Tokyo 2020.
Kemenangan beregu profesional, Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong, dalam Terbuka Taiwan, minggu lalu menghidupkan kembali peluang buat bekas pemenang pingat perak Olimpik Rio 2016 itu ke Tokyo, tahun depan.
Dengan situasi terkini dalam ranking kelayakan, amat sukar untuk melihat dua wakil negara layak memandangkan kriterianya adalah perlu berada dalam kedudukan lapan terbaik dunia.
Ranking kesemua beregu lelaki negara berada di luar kelompok itu, menyaksikan kini mereka perlu bersaing sesama sendiri.
"Kalau lawan dengan rakan sepasukan, peluang memang 50-50 kerana berlatih bersama. Apabila jumpa, kekuatan masing-masing diketahui. Pemenang ditentukan pada detik akhir, siapa lebih berani," katanya.
Tekanan juga memuncak buat Aaron dan gandingannya, Soh Wooi Yik, untuk membuat penampilan sulung di pentas Olimpik apabila kedudukan ranking dunia mereka kini jatuh ke tangga ke-14 daripada tempat ke-10, sebelum ini.
"Bagi saya, isu ranking memang biasa. Naik atau turun, ia bergantung kepada prestasi. Setiap minggu ia dikemaskini. Kalau ada kejohanan, banyak naik dan turun, itu perkara biasa," tambah Aaron.
Penulis Jemputan
Fri Sep 13 2019
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