New Pairings Not Mere Experiments, Aimed At LA28 - Rexy

KUALA LUMPUR, June 16 (Bernama) -- Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky wants all the national men's doubles pairs formed through the latest reshuffle to have clear goals, including securing qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics (LA28).

According to him, every new pairing, including Aaron Chia-Aaron Tai, should be retained if they can deliver consistent performances and achieve the targets set for them.

Rexy said the decision to split and reshuffle partnerships was not made on a trial-and-error basis, but rather as part of a long-term plan to build pairings capable of qualifying for the Olympic Games.

“Regarding this reshuffle, perhaps it would be more appropriate to ask Herry (Iman Pierngadi). But from my perspective, we want to see pairings such as Aaron Chia-Aaron Tai set their sights on the Olympics.

“Let’s say they manage to win tournaments such as the China Open and continue to show the kind of consistency that Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong once displayed, then that partnership should be maintained,” he said when met during the national squad's training session at ABM in Bukit Kiara today.

Earlier, the Badminton Association of Malaysia announced several new pairings for the China Open, Taiwan Open and Korea Open, namely Aaron Chia-Aaron Tai, Man Wei Chong-Soh Wooi Yik, Tee Kai Wun-Yap Roy King and Arif Junaidi-Kang Khai Xing.

Rexy stressed that players must possess a champion's mentality and always be prepared to adapt to changes in partnerships for the good of the team and in pursuit of the country’s first Olympic gold medal.

“That is what I always emphasise to the players. They must have a champion's mentality, regardless of whether the partnership is maintained or reshuffled.

“When they are paired with a younger partner, they should have the desire and view it as a challenge in the quest for an Olympic gold medal,” he said.

-- BERNAMA