Wushu faces rocky new year after seasoned coach Lim quits

Many memories: Lim Yew Fai (second from right) seen here with (from left) Wong Weng Soon, Ho Ro Bin and Phoon Eyin.

PETALING JAYA: It’s a rocky start to the new year for the Malaysian wushu team as they will head to the Asian Games in Hangzhou without head coach Lim Yew Fai.

Yew Fai announced his departure yesterday after more than a decade of serving the national senior team.

“I officially leave the Malaysian wushu team after 11 years and five months of coaching.

“No matter how many world champions, South-East Asian Games champions and champions of all sizes during this time, it is the most precious experience to be involved in the process with you all.

“Thanks to everyone who have been around me during this process,” said Yew Fai, who became the world champion exponent in jianshu (sword) in 2005 before retiring to take up coaching not long after.

Malaysia have never failed to come back with gold medals from the SEA Games and also the World Wushu Championships under Yew Fai’s tenure since 2011 but the failure to make the podium at the last two Asian Games must have prompted a drastic change in their coaching approach.

Wushu has delivered gold at three successive Asian Games from 2002 to 2010 and expectations are high with China hosting the Asian Games again after 13 years.

Malaysia won the women’s nanquan all-round event through Tai Cheau Xuen at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games but had to return the gold medal after she tested positive for a doping offence.

Tan Cheong Min came close but a mistake caused her to end up in fourth place in the nanquan all-round event at the Indonesia Asian Games four years later.

Wushu Federation of Malaysia president Datuk Chong Kim Fatt said the decision was made together with National Sports Council, who are the paymaster, to take a new direction for the team.

“In any organisation, there is no one indispensable and I think we have to try something different.

“We have been under a local coach for sometime but we will bring in a new coach from China for taolu (barehands and weapons), who will be coming in after Chinese New Year.

“Even football clubs change managers frequently if they are not producing the desired results.

“We need to change our method of teaching. Even in wushu worldwide, things are changing. It’s Iran who became overall champions and not China at the world junior championships in Indonesia last month,” said Kim Fatt, who is the chef de mission of the Malaysian contingent to the Asian Games.

Former SEA Games taiji gold medallist Loh Choon How and Koo Chee Zhong will handle the daily coaching matters until the arrival of the new China coach.

“They have the experience, having been helping around for the last four to five years,” added Kim Fatt, who is optimistic that the Malaysian wushu team will continue to reap good results with the right support from concerned parties.

Their three major assignments this year are the Cambodia SEA Games in May, the Hangzhou Asian Games in September and the World Wushu Championships in Dallas, the United States, in November.

World champion exponent Wong Weng Son and National Sportswoman of the Year Cheong Min are expected to lead Malaysia’s challenge in the Asian Games and world meet.