PETALING JAYA: World No. 3 mixed doubles pair Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai Jemie may need to revisit their career plans after being identified as medal prospects for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics under the Road to Gold (RTG) programme.
For Shevon, the decision came as a surprise, especially after the duo were dropped from the programme in October last year when their world ranking slipped to No. 11.
She admitted that they had been mapping out their journey year by year without a long-term outlook – until now.
The inclusion carries even greater weight as the RTG programme now sets tougher benchmarks.
By 2026, the pair must break into the world’s top eight.
In 2027, they are expected to qualify for the Olympics on merit and reach the world’s top four, a position they must hold through to 2028.
With the Olympics three years away, the pair are now being asked to commit to a longer-term plan. Age will also be a factor, as Soon Huat will be 37 and Shevon 34 by the time the Los Angeles Games come around.
“I was quite surprised that we were included again,” said Shevon.
“But we’ll need to sit down with the RTG committee to discuss their expectations and the direction they have in mind.”
The pair are expected to iron out the details with the RTG team, particularly with coordinator Datuk Stuart Ramalingam, who is currently arranging meetings with all 16 athletes listed in the programme following last week’s announcement by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.
All selected athletes have until May to sign their contracts and finalise expectations with the RTG team as part of the nation’s push for a historic first Olympic gold medal.
For now, the husband-and-wife duo are focused on helping Malaysia prepare for the Sudirman Cup from April 27-May 4 in Xiamen, China.
