Misi memburu mata kelayakan pertama ke Sukan Olimpik Tokyo 2020 kian samar buat beregu campuran badminton negara, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai, selepas Soon Huat ditimpa kecederaan paha menjelang Kejohanan Terbuka New Zealand, 30 April ini.
Soon Huat mengalami kecederaan itu dalam Terbuka Singapura minggu lalu, sekali gus tersingkir dalam pusingan kedua.
Kecederaan itu memaksa pemain berusia 29 tahun berkenaan menarik diri daripada menyertai Kejohanan Badminton Asia di Wuhan China, bermula Selasa ini.
"Sewaktu kejohanan di Singapura, saya mengalami kecederaan paha dan terpaksa menarik diri daripada menyertai kejohanan yang seterusnya.
"Selepas pulang ke Malaysia, saya hanya menumpukan kepada proses pemulihan tanpa terlibat dengan latihan di gelanggang," katanya.
Terbuka New Zealand merupakan kejohanan pertama yang menawarkan mata kelayakan ke temasya di Tokyo itu.
Bagaimanapun, Soon Huat memerlukan tempoh sekurang-kurangnya sebulan untuk kembali cergas sambil mengharapkan berita positif dapat diterima mengenai kecederaannya itu minggu depan.
Andai gagal pulih dalam tempoh yang ditetapkan, Soon Huat menegaskan keperluannya untuk mengalihkan tumpuan terhadap Piala Sudirman di Nanning, China, bulan depan.
"Jika saya tidak dapat menyertai Terbuka New Zealand, saya pasti akan kecewa.
"Namun, saya perlu menerimanya untuk menumpukan kepada Piala Sudirman pula," tambahnya.
Penulis Jemputan
Sat Apr 20 2019
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