BAM shifts Thomas Cup training camp venue from Dongguan to Guangzhou – Badminton News
Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) organised a central training camp for Thomas Cup preparation in Dongguan but now they have decided to change the location and selected Guangzhou, China.
The joint training session will start from May 13, a week before the opening of prestigious team event and Malaysian campaigners are suppose to have good practice run in similar condition of Thomas Cup Finals.
General Manager of BAM Kenny Goh confirmed that the national body has decided to relocate the camp as it will be more beneficial to conduct these sessions in Guangzhou rather than of Dongguan.
He said, “We were told that it was best to have the centralised training in Guangzhou as it would be more convenient for us.”
National squad comprises Lee Chong Wei, Daren Liew and Hafiz Hashim as leading Men’s Singles shuttlers while prime couples Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Lim Khim Wah-Goh V Shem will be holding country’s flag in the Men’s Doubles event.
Meanwhile, Singles expert Chong Wei Feng and the spirited duo of Hoon Thien How and Tan Wee Kiong is part of reserve squad.
Malaysia has never won the trophy since 1992 and this time they want to end this long streak of failures so the Coaching and training committee of BAM proposed a training camp in China to give its shuttlers a chance to get familiar with local atmosphere.
However, they were not the only ones to think this as other contesting countries also sent their campaigners in Dongguan.
Kenny Goh admitted that this made BAM to change the venue as huge number of practicing teams could have disturbed their sessions.
He said, “We learnt that the centre in Dongguan (owned by China’s chief coach Li Yongbo) will house an additional 60 players during our stay and there could be unwanted distractions.”
At the moment, national campaigners are sweating hard in the nets at Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara. However, strangely the Singles and Doubles squads are training in separate camps which raise questions about their joint effort in esteemed team event.
They will leave for China on Sunday, May 13.
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