Zakry hopes to make good his new partnership with Thien How
Latest News, News, Top News 2:35 PM
PETALING JAYA: Celebrating the arrival of the first day of
Syawal has offered fresh new hope for shuttler Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif,
who is determined to make good his new partnership with Hoon Thien How.
Mohd Zakry is set to partner Thien How in their first Super Series event at the Japan Open from Sept 22-27 and they hope to achieve their ultimate goal – to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.
The stormy three-year partnership of Zakry-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari came to an end recently when doubles head coach Rexy Mainaky, sensing they getting nowhere, assigned them new partners.
All pumped up:
Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif (right) and Hoon Thien How in action against
Denmark’s Lars Paaske and Jonas Rasmussen in the Thomas Cup
quarter-finals in May. The Malaysians lost but they put up a spirited
display.
Zakry paired up with Thien How to reprise
their role in the Thomas Cup Finals in Kuala Lumpur in May while
Fairuzizuan formed a new partnership with Ong Soon Hock.
Fairuzizuan-Soon Hock will be seeing action together for the first time in the China Masters next week.
Zakry, who bagged two Super Series titles with Fairuzizuan in the Singapore and Indonesian Opens in 2008, said it was all in the past now.
“My partnership with Fairuzizuan was not going anywhere and we even didn’t qualify for the World Championships this year,” said Zakry.
“I am sad with the decision (to split us up) as Fairuzizuan is not only my partner but my good friend as well.
“But I am taking the decision in a positive way as the coach knows what’s best to get our career going again,” added Zakry, whose immediate aim is to rack up the ranking points first.
“We have no ranking points currently and we have to start working our way up.
“The 2012 Olympic qualifying period starts from May next year and we have to be ready to start fighting for a spot by then.
“Anything else, including qualifying for the World Championships, will come along if we are already up there,” said Zakry.
A country can qualify up to two pairs in the badminton doubles event at the London Olympics but both must be ranked inside the top eight at the end of the one-year qualifying timeline.
Zakry teamed up with Thien How in the Thomas Cup quarter-final tie against Denmark in May and they almost brought the roof down at the Putra Stadium with their tremendous fighting spirit against veterans Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen in the second doubles match.
But their lack of experience and consistency during the crucial stages saw Thien How-Zakry going down 26-24, 12-21, 19-21 to the All-England and European champions.
At the Japan Open, Zakry-Thien How have an easy opening tie against local pair Hirokatsu Hashimoto-Noriyasu Hirata.
Their path, however, gets bumpy after that.
Zakry-Thien How will face either South Korea’s Cho Gun-woo-Kwon Yi-goo or second seeds and Olympic champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia in the second round.
Also in the bottom half of the draw are reigning world champions Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun of China, who are seeded fifth.
The shuttlers are currently enjoying a one-week break and will return to training on Wednesday.
Mohd Zakry is set to partner Thien How in their first Super Series event at the Japan Open from Sept 22-27 and they hope to achieve their ultimate goal – to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.
The stormy three-year partnership of Zakry-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari came to an end recently when doubles head coach Rexy Mainaky, sensing they getting nowhere, assigned them new partners.
All pumped up:
Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif (right) and Hoon Thien How in action against
Denmark’s Lars Paaske and Jonas Rasmussen in the Thomas Cup
quarter-finals in May. The Malaysians lost but they put up a spirited
display. Fairuzizuan-Soon Hock will be seeing action together for the first time in the China Masters next week.
Zakry, who bagged two Super Series titles with Fairuzizuan in the Singapore and Indonesian Opens in 2008, said it was all in the past now.
“My partnership with Fairuzizuan was not going anywhere and we even didn’t qualify for the World Championships this year,” said Zakry.
“I am sad with the decision (to split us up) as Fairuzizuan is not only my partner but my good friend as well.
“But I am taking the decision in a positive way as the coach knows what’s best to get our career going again,” added Zakry, whose immediate aim is to rack up the ranking points first.
“We have no ranking points currently and we have to start working our way up.
“The 2012 Olympic qualifying period starts from May next year and we have to be ready to start fighting for a spot by then.
“Anything else, including qualifying for the World Championships, will come along if we are already up there,” said Zakry.
A country can qualify up to two pairs in the badminton doubles event at the London Olympics but both must be ranked inside the top eight at the end of the one-year qualifying timeline.
Zakry teamed up with Thien How in the Thomas Cup quarter-final tie against Denmark in May and they almost brought the roof down at the Putra Stadium with their tremendous fighting spirit against veterans Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen in the second doubles match.
But their lack of experience and consistency during the crucial stages saw Thien How-Zakry going down 26-24, 12-21, 19-21 to the All-England and European champions.
At the Japan Open, Zakry-Thien How have an easy opening tie against local pair Hirokatsu Hashimoto-Noriyasu Hirata.
Their path, however, gets bumpy after that.
Zakry-Thien How will face either South Korea’s Cho Gun-woo-Kwon Yi-goo or second seeds and Olympic champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia in the second round.
Also in the bottom half of the draw are reigning world champions Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun of China, who are seeded fifth.
The shuttlers are currently enjoying a one-week break and will return to training on Wednesday.
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 2:35 PM.
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