Soon Huat-Shevon keep flame burning despite fading Olympic dream

PETALING JAYA: Partnering each other in November 2016 saved Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai Jemie’s careers from early retirements and the pair could be in a similar situation currently after their constant struggles on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) tour this year.

Ranked as high as world No. 6 in mid year, the pair have dropped to No. 15 and their Olympic dream seem to be fading but Shevon has grown wiser with age.

Shevon, 30, says that every step counts from now onwards as they continue to be challenged by younger pairs, including compatriots Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (No. 9), as she and her fiance Soon Huat, 33, continue to cherish their last few years left on the international stage.

“At that time (2016), I was without a partner for six months and was about to hand in my resignation letter (to the Badminton Association of Malaysia) but was coaxed by the coach (Chin Eei Hui) to stay on,” said Shevon.

Soon Huat was also contemplating about quitting before he was asked to switch from men’s singles to mixed doubles by then national coaching director Morten Frost and partner Shevon.

They both agreed and thus began their new journey as a mixed doubles pair.

“The issues crop up when we start losing, have disagreements but we managed to find our way out,’’ added Shevon.

“Right now, we don’t think too much about the end result but enjoy the whole process because this is probably the last few years we have in our career. So, we want to make every single step count.

“At the end of the day, everyone will have to face it that at some point, there will be lows in your life and you have to start all over again.

“You might reach the very top of your career but once you are out of it, you have to start as a nobody. We have to get out of our comfort zone and be ready for that time.”

Soon Huat-Shevon are probably at that critical point but the independent pair are not about to let their struggles derail them completely as there are still four months left until the Olympic qualifying period ends on April 28.

A country is accorded a maximum of two pairs if they are in the top eight at the end of the qualifying period with Tang Jie-Ee Wei in the driver’s seat.

However, a more pragmatic Soon Huat-Shevon are not totally out of it and as they showed in the super 500 Korean Masters in Gwangju by reaching the semi-finals, the independent pair can still make it by regrouping their efforts starting at the Malaysian Open (Jan 9-14) next month.

The odds will be against Soon Huat-Shevon at the Malaysian Open where they should clear their first-round hurdle against England’s Gregory and Jenny Mairs but must lift themselves for an upset over top Thai pair Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerattanachai in the second round.

Soon Huat-Shevon upset world No. 7 Kim Won-ho-Jeong Na-eun of South Korea in Gwangju en route to the semis and such a performance need to be constantly repeated starting from the Malaysian Open for them revive their chances of qualifying for the Olympics.