Badminton: Wei Feng looking for a change in fortunes with determination
Latest News 4:03 PM
IPOH: Shuttler Chong Wei Feng is the only singles player from
the national back-up squad who has not been selected for a major Games.
The 23-year-old is tired of being insignificant. And he is looking for a change of fortunes with more determined performances to get consistently good results in international tournaments next year.
Wei Feng had earned creditable results on several occasions but he had not been able to break into the group of top players on the international stage.
Three years ago, he defeated Chen Jin of China in the India Open. While Chen Jin, now 24-years-old, has gone on to win the world title, Wei Feng is still struggling to clear the early rounds of the Super Series event.
At the beginning of the season this year, Wei Feng reached the quarter-finals in the Malaysian Open after which he had poor runs.
Wei Feng admitted that there was tremendous pressure on the back-up shuttlers to bridge the gap with world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei.
“We often came under harsh criticisms and I even contemplated giving up the game. But my coaches (Rashid and Misbun Sidek) feel that I have not explored my full potential yet,” he said.
“I believe that I can make a difference. I lost focus this year. I was trying to make myself an attacking player when my strong point is on endurance.”
Wei Feng hopes that he will make the grade to the squad for the SEA Games in Indonesia in November.
“Except for me, all the other singles players in the back-up team (Tan Chun Seang, Chan Kwong Beng, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif and Liew Daren) have been given a chance to compete in major competitions. Hopefully, I can prove my worth for a place in the squad for the SEA Games,” he said.
Yesterday, Wei Feng defeated Goh Soon Huat 17-21, 21-7, 21-13 to reach the semi-finals of the Perak Open.
The 23-year-old is tired of being insignificant. And he is looking for a change of fortunes with more determined performances to get consistently good results in international tournaments next year.
Wei Feng had earned creditable results on several occasions but he had not been able to break into the group of top players on the international stage.
Three years ago, he defeated Chen Jin of China in the India Open. While Chen Jin, now 24-years-old, has gone on to win the world title, Wei Feng is still struggling to clear the early rounds of the Super Series event.
At the beginning of the season this year, Wei Feng reached the quarter-finals in the Malaysian Open after which he had poor runs.
Wei Feng admitted that there was tremendous pressure on the back-up shuttlers to bridge the gap with world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei.
“We often came under harsh criticisms and I even contemplated giving up the game. But my coaches (Rashid and Misbun Sidek) feel that I have not explored my full potential yet,” he said.
“I believe that I can make a difference. I lost focus this year. I was trying to make myself an attacking player when my strong point is on endurance.”
Wei Feng hopes that he will make the grade to the squad for the SEA Games in Indonesia in November.
“Except for me, all the other singles players in the back-up team (Tan Chun Seang, Chan Kwong Beng, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif and Liew Daren) have been given a chance to compete in major competitions. Hopefully, I can prove my worth for a place in the squad for the SEA Games,” he said.
Yesterday, Wei Feng defeated Goh Soon Huat 17-21, 21-7, 21-13 to reach the semi-finals of the Perak Open.
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 4:03 PM.
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