Pemain beregu campuran veteran negara, Chan Peng Soon, berharap dapat menuai pingat emas dalam penampilan terakhirnya di pentas Sukan Komanwel Birmingham 2022 menjelang aksi final acara badminton berpasukan campuran menentang India awal pagi esok.
Biarpun pasukan juara bertahan, India, jelas pasukan yang sukar untuk dihadapi dalam acara itu, ia tidak menghalang pemain berusia 34 tahun berkenaan untuk memasang impian meraih pingat emas ketiganya dalam temasya itu.
"Saya sudah mempunyai dua emas dan satu perak dalam acara berpasukan, jadi kali ini, saya berharap dapat membawa pulang satu lagi pingat emas," katanya kepada wartawan Nadi Arena, Fina Nasrom.
"Dlam set pertama menentang England, saya dan (Cheah) Yee See agak teragak-agak tetapi dalam set kedua, kami mula memperbaikinya dan mula lebih berani.
"Jika saya berpeluang diturunkan dalam aksi final, saya tidak mahu ia berulang kerana jika tewas dalam set pertama, anda akan mula hilang keyakinan dalam set kedua.
"Mungkin ini adalah Sukan Komanwel terakhir saya dan ia juga merupakan edisi pertama saya bergandingan dengan Yee See.
"Ia juga penampilan pertamanya, jadi saya tidak mahu memberikannya tekanan tetapi saya juga akan mencuba untuk mendapatkan pingat emas cara individu bersamanya kerana saya masih berlum pernah mendapat pingat emas acara berkenaan (beregu campuran).
"Jadi, kami akan mencuba yang terbaik," katanya lagi.
Sebagai rekod, Peng Soon pernah memenangi emas acara berapsukan campuran dalam edisi di New Delhi pada 2010 dan Glasgow pada 2014 selain memenangi perak di Gold Coast empat tahun lalu.
Muzaffar Musa
Tue Aug 02 2022


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