All systems go: File pix of Rexy Mainaky training together with the players at Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM). — The Star/ART CHEN.
PETALING JAYA: The tough part is over. Now, go out there and enjoy your game.
This is the advice of national doubles coaching director Rexy Mainaky to the shuttlers bound for the World Championships starting on Monday (Aug 25) in Paris.
Rexy, who captured the world title with Ricky Subagja in 1995, believes that all the hard work has already been done and it was time for the likes of Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik (men’s doubles) and Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah (women’s doubles) to do their talking on court.
"For me, the hard part is the training and stress that the players go through before the tournament," said Rexy when met at the Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara on Thursday (Aug 21).
"Now, all the hard work has been done and my advice for the players is to play their best game and enjoy themselves on court.
"We have chances to win medals but we don’t want to put too much pressure on our players.
"Let them focus on their game. They need to adapt quickly to the court conditions in Paris and translate what they have been doing in training in the matches," added Rexy.
Rexy and the team will depart for Paris later tonight (Aug 21).
Malaysia’s best bets for medals will be world No. 2 Aaron-Wooi Yik, world No. 3 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun (No. 7) in the men’s doubles and women’s doubles duo Pearly-Thinaah.
Aaron-Wooi Yik created history when they became the first Malaysian shuttlers to capture gold in the prestigious meet in 2022 in Tokyo.
In the last edition in 2023 in Copenhagen, the pair won bronze and were again the country’s sole medallists.
