PETALING JAYA: Goh Jin Wei will have greater financial backing in her pursuit of a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics after securing sponsorship from five companies.
Although the Olympic qualification race will only begin in May next year, Jin Wei has already laid the groundwork for her campaign by partnering with AutoCount, Cuckoo, De Core Wellness, Movon and RT Pastry.
The backing will allow Jin Wei to compete in more tournaments from the Australian Open onwards (June 9-14) as she embarks on her bid to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
For world No. 53 Jin Wei, the backing comes as a huge relief as it will enable her to compete in more tournaments and improve her world ranking ahead of the qualification period.
The former world junior champion and Youth Olympic Games gold medallist admitted it was not easy convincing companies to invest in her journey, especially as an independent player.
"I was definitely surprised because I’m not that young anymore. There’s also a lot of uncertainty because nobody knows what will happen over the next two years," said Jin Wei.
"So it’s not easy to convince people to invest in you, but luckily I received support from all these sponsors. I’m very thankful to Mr Hoe Kian Choon and all the bosses as well," said Jin Wei.
Adding to the occasion, the sponsorship presentation ceremony held in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday was themed "Goh for Gold" as a show of support for her Olympic aspirations.
"It’s difficult because the economy is not doing well and you can see there are not many independent players left. We have to keep working harder and harder,” added Jin Wei.
At the same time, Jin Wei knows she faces a tough challenge in her quest to earn another Olympic berth as she trails fellow Malaysians K. Letshanaa and Wong Ling Ching in the world rankings.
Letshanaa is currently Malaysia’s top women’s singles player at No. 31 in the world, while Ling Ching is ranked No. 34.
Only one Malaysian is likely to qualify through the rankings, meaning Jin Wei will need to overtake both players during the qualification period, which runs from May next year until April 2028.
"For now, I just want to focus on myself. Of course, only the top player will qualify for the Olympics, but if I keep comparing myself with others, it won’t help.
"The most important thing is to focus on the process. If the process is right, then I believe the ranking will take care of itself," added Jin Wei.
