Perebutan tiket ke Sukan Olimpik Tokyo 2020 semakin memihak Goh V Shem dan Tan Wee Kiong yang merampas kembali status sebagai beregu lelaki nombor satu Malaysia.
Beregu profesional itu memintas pasangan terbaik kebangsaan, Aaron Chia dan Soh Wooi Yik, apabila menempatkan diri dalam kelompok 10 terbaik dunia.
Aaron dan Wooi Yik jatuh ke tangga ke-14 dunia selepas mengalami prestasi turun naik menerusi beberapa penyingkiran awal kejohanan, termasuk dalam Kejohanan Dunia bulan lalu.
Sasaran seterusnya buat pemenang pingat perak Olimpik Rio 2016 itu adalah untuk memecah masuk dalam kalangan lapan terbaik dunia.
"Tidak kira macam mana sekalipun, kami perlu fokus kepada diri snediri untuk berada dalam kelompok lapan terbaik dunia," kata Wee Kiong.
V Shem pula berpendapat: "Kelompok lapan terbaik akan memudahkan undian dalam kejohanan apabila boleh mengelak beregu pilihan dalam pusingan pertama."
Impak sebenar kepada perubahan ranking dunia ini adalah cerminan kepada perebutan tiket ke Tokyo 2020.
Jika dua gandingan tersebut berada di luar kedudukan lapan terbaik apabila tamat saingan kelayakan hujung April depan, maka secara realistik hanya satu beregu yang akan mewakili Malaysia di Jepun.
"Masih awal lagi kerana usaha masih separuh jalan, ada kira-kira10 kejohanan lagi perlu dihadapi," tambah Wee Kiong.
"Kami perlu buat yang terbaik, tidak kira Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik atau Teo Ee Yi-Ong Yew Sin sekalipun.
"Beregu yang memberikan persembahan terbaik, mereka lebih layak," kata V Shem.
Penulis Jemputan
Thu Oct 03 2019


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