Fierce jostle is on for ‘limited’ flight tickets to LA

The Star Online > Sports
Thursday February 24, 2005

PETALING JAYA: Five singles players and four doubles pairs will be fighting for places in the Malaysian men’s team for the World Badminton Championships in Los Angeles from Aug 15-21 over the next three months.
The five singles players (in world rankings order) are national number one Lee Chong Wei (eighth), Wong Choong Hann (11th), Roslin Hashim (17th), Mohd Hafiz Hashim (19th) and Kuan Beng Hong (26th).
All five will began their bid to move up the world rankings when they compete in the German Open starting next week, which forms the first of the three back-to-back European meets.
Yesterday, doubles player Ong Soon Hock was given the nod to compete in the All-England (March 8-13) and Swiss Open (March 15-20) with partner Tan Bin Shen.
Soon Hock was in danger of being dropped after he injured his back during the Korean Open last month. Kim Hock, however, feels he can recover in time.
Kim Sock said Soon Hock-Bin Shen, who are currently ranked 21st in the world, stand a chance of qualifying for the world meet.
The other pairs who are involved in the scramble for places (in world rankings order) are Lin Woon Fui-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari (17th), Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat (32nd) and Choong Tan Fook-Chew Choon Eng (37th).
Only Chong Ming-Kien Keat and Tan Fook-Choon Eng will compete in the German Open.
Woon Fui-Fairuzizuan, however, stand little chance of making it to Los Angeles. Fairuzizuan has been ruled out of the All-England and Swiss Open with to a shoulder injury. He will need at least one month to recover.
Kim Hock said Woon Fui-Mohd Fairuzizuan are only expected to compete in the Thailand Open (March 29-April 3) and Japan Open (April 5-10).
“It will be harder for them to qualify. They have to wait and see how the other Malaysian pairs fare first.
“The target is to have three doubles pairs in the top 24 and if possible, four singles players for the world championships,” he said.
A country can send a maximum of four representatives for any event if all are ranked inside the top eight and three if they are inside the top 24. The qualifying period for the world meet will end in May. The last major tournament to offer ranking points will be the Sudirman Cup in Beijing from May 10-15.
Chong Wei and Choon Hann are training under Chinese coach Li Mao while Roslin, Hafiz and Beng Hong are training under Misbun Sidek.