Pemain beregu wanita badminton negara, Lee Meng Yean, menjelaskan keutamaannya untuk memburu mata ranking kelayakan ke Sukan Olimpik Tokyo 2020 menjadi punca dia dan pasangannya, Chow Mei Kuan, sanggup menarik diri daripada Kejohanan Badminton Asia di Wuhan, China, bermula Selasa ini.
Meng Yean-Mei Kuan menyuarakan hasrat mereka untuk tidak menyertai kejohanan di Gimnasium Pusat Sukan Wuhan itu kerana mahu menumpukan terhadap Kejohanan Terbuka New Zealand, 30 April ini.
Kejohanan di New Zealand itu merupakan kejohanan pertama yang menawarkan mata ranking ke Sukan Olimpik Tokyo 2020 dan gandingan negara itu tidak mahu memperjudikan kecergasan mereka selain jarak penerbangan yang terlalu jauh di antara dua venue kejohanan berkenaan.
"Kami berdua mengambil keputusan untuk tidak menyertai Kejohanan Asia kerana penerbangan dari China ke New Zealand terlalu jauh dan terlalu lama.
"Kami memilih untuk kekal di sini bagi meneruskan latihan dan menumpukan kepada kejohanan kelayakan pertama itu," katanya.
Ketiadaan Meng Yean-Mei Kuan memberikan ruang buat pasangan baru negara, Anna Cheong-Lim Chiew Sin, bagi mengisi kekosongan yang ditinggalkan itu.
Meng-Yean-Mei Kuan kini berada di ranking ke-14 dunia dan mempunyai tempoh setahun untuk memburu kedudukan lapan terbaik bagi meraih slot automatik ke temasya di Tokyo itu.
"Menjelang kejohanan itu, tahap keyakinan kami akan bermula daripada awal semula kerana kami tidak mahu terlalu teruja.
"Jika kami terlalu teruja, ia akan menjejaskan keyakinan kami andai tersingkir awal dalam kejohanan itu," tambahnya.
Penulis Jemputan
Sat Apr 20 2019
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