PETALING JAYA: Former world No. 1 men’s doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani will continue training in Sri Petaling for now after efforts to find them a new base hit logistical problems.
Road to Gold (RTG) coordinator Datuk Stuart Ramalingam said several venues had been considered, but none proved suitable once factors such as travelling time and traffic congestion were taken into account.
He said Sri Petaling remains the most practical option for the pair, especially as they have to travel between different training sessions during the day.
“We have been trying to sort out the training venue as soon as possible, but it is not something that can be resolved overnight,” said Stuart.
“The biggest issue is logistics. If we move them to somewhere like Setapak or Cheras, traffic could affect their training schedule.
“They don’t train at one place for the whole day. They have to travel for different sessions, so the last thing we want is for them to be stuck in traffic on the way to training.
“We will continue looking at other options.’’
RTG had previously considered several venues, including the National Sports Council (NSC) in Bukit Jalil, Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara and two privately-owned badminton centres in the Klang Valley.
However, none were considered suitable for Sze Fei-Izzuddin.
The pair are still able to train at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) once a week, where they also get the chance to spar with the national players.
“There are a lot of things we have to take into consideration, so for now they will continue training at their usual venue.
“One positive thing is that Sze Fei and Izzuddin have been back sparring with the BAM players since the end of last year,” added Stuart.
Sze Fei-Izzuddin are currently the only independent shuttlers in the RTG programme.
The other badminton players in the programme are Aaron Chia, Soh Wooi Yik, Man Wei Chong, Tee Kai Wun, mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei and women’s doubles duo Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah.
They are seen as potential medal contenders at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, with the qualification period set to begin in May next year.
