Badminton: Elite back-up shuttler aims to rise up the ranks within a year
News 9:10 AM
ALOR STAR: Singles shuttler Liew Daren is the weakest of the four elite back-up players under the charge of national chief coach Rashid Sidek.
But the 21-year-old is determined to prove others wrong by moving up the ranks within a year.
And for a start, he has vowed to beat Kuan Beng Hong today to reach his first-ever semi-finals in the National Grand Prix Finals.
At the Kedah Badminton Association (KBA) Hall yesterday, Daren won two tough matches in Group C. He slogged to beat Lim Fang Yang 16-21, 21-14, 21-15 and was stretched to the limit by Malacca’s Syed Akbar Shah before prevailing for a 21-8, 12-21, 21-14 win.
He will play against Beng Hong in his final group match and the winner will get a semi-final match against the Group A winner, who is almost certain to be the top seed and six-time national champion Lee Chong Wei.
Daren, who joined training under Rashid three years ago, admitted that he was lagging behind his elite back-up team-mates — Tan Chun Seang, Chong Wei Feng and Mohd Arif Abdul Latif — in producing creditable results in international tournaments.
The four players are being groomed to peak at the 2012 London Olympics.
“I am the fourth ranked player in the elite back-up squad. I have only competed in six international tournaments this year and my best was a semi-final appearance in the Thailand Satellite. They are not impressive results,” said the former national schools (MSSM) Under-18 champion.
“I tend to lose focus easily. I won the first match against Akbar but grew over confident after that. I took it easy and made so many mistakes. This is one of my weaknesses.
“I know that I have to work extra hard to be better than my own team-mates. I will do my best to bridge the gap within a year.”
Daren hoped that a win over Beng Hong today would spark his rise up the ranks.
“I had beaten Beng Hong before in a GP Finals group match (in Terengganu in 2006). But Beng Hong has improved a lot and looks more confident now. It will not be easy but I will try to reach my first semi-finals in the GP Finals.”
Except for Chun Seang, the other two of Daren’s team-mates, Wei Feng and Arif, are also competing in the GP Finals. Both won their two matches in Group D yesterday and will take on each other today for a place in the last four.
Selangor’s 15-year-old Zulfadli Zulkifli dished out creditable performances yesterday, giving Wei Feng and Arif a run for their money.
The crafty youngster showed great fighting spirit to lead 17-13 in the rubber game before losing to Arif 21-15, 18-21, 18-21 and he also gave Wei Feng a tough time before bowing out 16-21, 17-21.
Mohd Hafiz Hashim, despite the lack of preparation because he had to spend more time taking care of his baby daughter, who was born pre-mature, gave a good account of himself by winning his two matches in Group B. He will take on Chan Kwong Beng today for a place in the semi-finals.
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 9:10 AM.
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