Chong Wei enjoys his Bath
Top News 2:35 PM
BATH: World No. 1 shuttler Lee Chong Wei completed 10 days of solid centralised training at the Sports Village at the University of Bath here yesterday and immediately gave it the thumbs-up.
And now he is ready to battle for honours at the World Champion-ships, which will begin on Monday at Wembley.
Chong Wei and the other Malaysian shuttlers gearing up for the world meet left for Wembley today.
The 29-year-old Chong Wei said he was glad that he joined the Bath training stint after skipping it last year ahead of the world meet in Paris.
He even said he would ask for a longer stay at Bath prior to next year’s London Olympic Games.
New adventure: Lee Chong Wei (fourth from left) and the Malaysian contingent on their way to a final training session at the Sports Village at the University of Bath.
“This is one of the best centralised training environment. The facilities are good. I really enjoyed my time in Bath,” said Chong Wei.
“It was good to be with my team-mates here. I had nothing much to do except train. I had plenty of rest and good home-cooked food too.
“I will request for a longer stay here when we return for centralised training before the London Olympic Games. Two weeks will be ideal.”
Chong Wei, who spent 10 days in Seoul with coach Li Mao prior to the 2007 World Championships, admitted that the atmosphere this time was better.
“I was focused and spent most of my time sharpening my game.”
Chong Wei was also quick to acknowledge the role played by his sparring partners – Chan Kwong Beng, Liew Daren and Chong Wei Feng – and their sacrifices over the last few days.
The world No. 1 hopes that they will grow in confidence – especially ahead of the SEA Games in November and the Thomas Cup Finals next year.
“They were sincere in helping me and gave it their all during sparring sessions. I appreciate their efforts,” he said.
”Daren and Wei Feng will go back home while Kwong Beng will stay on to assist me at Wembley. I hope the experience will stand them in good stead and help them to go far in their careers.”
Chong Wei also thanked the National Sports Institute (NSI) support team, the National Sports Council (NSC) and the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) for taking care of all their needs.
“They have done their part ... now it’s our turn to give our best on the court,” he said.
The others in the World Championships team are Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Hoon Thien How, Lim Khim Wah-Chan Peng Soon, Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui, Ng Hui Lin-Ng Hui Ern, Goh Liu Ying, Ong Jian Guo-Sabrina Chong.
This will be Chong Wei’s sixth attempt at winning the world title. His best was a semi-final finish in his debut outing at Anaheim, United States, in 2005.
The top-seeded Chong Wei has been drawn in the same half as South Korea’s Park Sung-hwan, China’s Chen Long and Chen Jin and Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat.
His main threat will be second seed and three-time world champion Lin Dan, who is in the lower half with several seasoned campaigners like Peter-Gade Christensen of Denmark, Lee Hyun-il of South Korea, Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana, Indonesia’s Simon Santoso and Malaysian veteran Wong Choong Hann.
Choong Hann is Malaysia’s best performer in the men’s singles event at the world meet, having won a silver medal in 2003 in Birmingham.
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 2:35 PM.
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