Jin Wei out to repay BAM’s faith

From Amiril Muttaqien Meketar

BIRMINGHAM, Aug 1 (Bernama) -- Former world junior badminton champion Goh Jin Wei feels like she has more to prove than the others in the national squad and has vowed not to take things for granted in her debut appearance in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games here.

Jin Wei, who announced her retirement and quit Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) last September to turn professional, is thankful to be given the opportunity by the association to feature in Birmingham 2022.

As such, the world number 53 women’s singles shuttler has set her sights on making the nation - and BAM - proud by helping the national team end their mission in Birmingham on a high note.

“Although I am just an independent shuttler, I feel honoured that BAM still offered me the opportunity to play in the Commonwealth Games… especially after what happened previously. So, I believe that I have to perform my best here,” she told Bernama.

Asked if she has found her rhythm after breezing her way to three easy wins against minnows Zambia, Jamaica and South Africa in the group stage, the 22-year-old Jin Wei said these matches played a crucial role in helping her to build momentum.

“They looked easy but I really had to focus on every game that I played,” she said.

The 2018 Youth Olympic Games champion hardly raised a sweat in three Group D matches that she played in so far.

Jin Wei certainly proved too strong for her opponents, trouncing Elizabeth Chipeleme of Zambia 21-1, 21-2, thrashing Jamaica’s Tahlia Richardson 21-2, 21-5 and hammering South African Johanita Scholtz 21-5, 21-4.

-- BERNAMA