Justin out of SEA Games after injuring Achilles in training

Justin Hoh

PETALING JAYA: An Achilles injury has crushed Justin Hoh’s dream of playing in the SEA Games in Cambodia next month.

The national men’s singles shuttler, who was selected for both the individual and team events, was forced to pull out of the biennial Games after rupturing his left Achilles tendon in training on Monday.

Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) confirmed that Justin suffered a rupture in his left Achilles tendon and will undergo surgery tomorrow (today),” read a statement by BAM in their social media pages.

The news was a bitter blow to Justin, who had progressed rapidly since joining the senior squad last November.

The 19-year-old had reached a career-high No. 54 in the latest world rankings.

Justin had captured the Uganda International Challenge (IC) title and finished runners-up in the Iran IC in February.

The youngster also did well to reach the semi-finals in his first World Tour event – the China Masters – last month.Justin had been looking forward to the Games after he didn’t get to play in last year’s edition in Vietnam despite being included in the team.

The other men’s singles players who had been selected for the Games were Leong Jun Hao, Ong Ken Yon and Lee Shun Yang.

Jun Hao has been selected for both individual and team events while Ken Yon and Shun Yang had been named for the latter.

They will be joined by doubles players Beh Chun Meng, Goh Boon Sze, Chia Weijie, Liew Xun, Yap Roy King and Choong Hon Jian in the men’s team.

The men’s team contributed a silver medal in Hanoi last year.