Beng Hong wants to mix it with big boys

PETALING JAYA: Youngster Kuan Beng Hong just could not go to sleep on Friday night. 

The 21-year-old men's singles shuttler had just been named in the squad to the Thomas Cup qualifying round from Feb 16-22 at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium and even he could not believe it had happened. 

Despite the lack of sleep, he was up with the lark yesterday, all fresh and motivated.  

And the back-up shuttler, who is currently ranked 85th in the world, said he was looking forward to making a mark in the league with the big boys. 

“I have always felt inferior to the rest. I was contented with being a back-up player. But all that has changed now,” said Beng Hong, who hails from Kedah. 

CLOWNING AROUND: Kuan Beng Hong (right) with other members of the national team holding the Athens Olympic Games' mascot Phevos during the final day of a mental training camp at Port Dickson on Thursday. Beng Hong was selected for the Thomas Cup qualifiers and he hoped the things he learnt would be of benefits.

“Now, I will be out to prove myself. I do not want to belittle myself when I am against a top player. I have been given a chance and I want to go out there and make my opponents fear me instead.” 

Beng Hong added that a recent three-day mental training camp in Port Dickson had also helped him to be more optimistic. 

“There were several activities that helped me to be bold and brave. I realised that no one was going to help me become a top player unless I tried to do so myself.  

“I can make it happen if I stay positive and go the extra mile,” he said, adding that he had not been willing to make sacrifices when he was younger. 

“I was called up to join the BAM Academy when I was 13 years' old. I came to Kuala Lumpur but I could not cope and ran back to my family. Fortunately, I was selected again and returned to the academy three years later,” said Beng Hong. 

Four years ago, he was promoted into the national back-up squad. But it was only last year that Beng Hong managed to narrow the gap with the seniors. 

“I defeated Simon Santoso of Indonesia to reach the third round of the Malaysian Open last year. I lost to Lee Chong Wei in the final of both the Malaysian Satellite and KL Open. There was some improvement,” he said. 

Now, he is looking beyond the Thomas Cup qualifying round. 

“This is just the beginning for me. I want to do well in other Open tournaments too. I also want to win a place in the Thomas Cup Finals proper (May 7-16 in Jakarta, Indonesia),” he said. 

Besides Beng Hong, the others in the men's singles for the Asian qualifiers are Wong Choong Hann, Mohd Roslin Hashim and Chong Wei.  

The doubles players are Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah, Koo Kien Keat-Gan Teik Chai and Chew Choong Eng-Chang Kim Wai.