Youngster Valeree excited to make it work with veteran Peng Soon

Prized possession: Valeree Siow posing for a photograph with the medals she won during her Europe stint this year.

PETALING JAYA: Shuttler Valeree Siow has been given a chance of a lifetime and she has no intention of wasting it.

The 19-year-old has been partnered with Rio Olympic Games silver medallist Chan Peng Soon under the latest edition in the mixed doubles department headed by coach Paulus Firman and she is excited to make it work.

This new partnership was made possible when Peng Soon parted ways with his long-time partner Goh Liu Ying after playing together for 13 years.

“I will not let Peng Soon down,” said a determined Valeree.

“I was so excited when I found out that I will partner him. I will follow his guidance and try to raise my standards to be on par with him.”

She has watched Peng Soon-Liu Ying in action countless of times but she will not forget their fighting performances in the final of the Rio Games before losing narrowly to Indonesia’s Tontowi Ahmad-Lilyana Natsir.

“That was the best. I admire them. I know it’s not easy to play like Liu Ying but I will do my best.”

With the new duty, Valeree knows she has to manage her time well to balance between studies and sport. She is a first year Sports Science student at Universiti Malaya.

“The expectations will be higher and workload will be greater but I’ll be fine (juggling badminton and studies),” said Valeree.

Valeree, the younger sister to former national player Desiree, did well this year by winning the mixed doubles title with Yap Roy King in the International tournaments in Ukraine, Greece and Latvia.

She also won the women’s doubles with partner Low Yeen Yuan at the International tournaments in Slovenia, Greece and Latvia.

“It’s a great year for me. I did not practise in the mixed doubles but did well to win with Roy King, thanks to his guidance. I also won several titles in the women’s doubles with Yeen Yuan. If given permission, I would like to continue playing in both events.”

On her first assignment with Peng Soon at the India Open next month in New Delhi, she said: “We should be training together soon.

Hopefully, we will be able to get off to a decent start.”