KUALA LUMPUR, A training session with former world champions, Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik provided additional tonic for the national youth pair, Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing in their mission to hunt for a gold medal at the 2024 World Junior Championships scheduled to take place in Nanchang, China, at the end of this month.
Khai Xing admitted that his game with Aaron has also matured compared to when he played at the Asian Youth Championship in Yogyakarta, Indonesia in July as a result of advice and guidance from their seniors.
“It was a tremendous experience that coach Rexy (Mainaky) gave us the opportunity to train with Aaron-Wooi Yik. I think there is a different in the aura when sparring with the world champions.
“I feel more motivated now because they (Aaron-Wooi Yik) have supported and guided us. So we will put the rejuvenation to good use by trying our best to get the gold medal,” he said when met at the national youth squad’s training session at the Academy of Badminton Malaysia (ABM), here today.
For the
record in the Asian Youth Championship, Aaron-Khai Xing who were the first seeds of the tournament missed the gold medal after succumbing to the Chinese pair Hu Ke Yuan-Lin Xiang Yi 13-21, 11-21.
In the meantime, Aaron, who is currently ranked first in the world in the youth category, said that he and his partner are 100 per cent ready to compete in the World Youth Championship.
In fact, he also admitted that he and his partner have physical advantages from improving their fitness which was the reason they failed to win the gold medal at the Asian Youth Championship.
“I think we were a little tired during the Asian Junior final. So during training we try to cover all the stamina back.
“I think at World Junior I can perform better. We are physically stronger and that’s an advantage for us,” said the bronze medal winner of the men’s doubles world junior championship last year.
The last time Malaysia won gold the doubles event at the world junior championships was through Nelson Heg-Teo Ee Yii in 2011.
So
urce: BERNAMA News Agency
