Mixed doubles pair Christiansen-Boje pulls out from Paris Olympic

PETALING JAYA: Danish No. 1 mixed doubles pairing of Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Boje will not be competing when the Olympic badminton tournament kicks off in Paris next week. Christiansen has decided to withdraw from the badminton mixed doubles event at the Paris Olympics after he unintentionally made mistakes in three of his 'whereabouts' filing and...

Rashid: Hard to predict who will win singles title in Paris

PETALING JAYA: Former great Datuk Rashid Sidek says it is anyone’s game in the men’s singles at the Olympic Games in Paris although a few of them have been more dominant than the others. Defending champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark was unbeatable at one stage of his life while China’s Shi Yuqi has grown to be...

Tricky draw for Aaron-Wooi Yik at the Paris Olympic Games

PETALING JAYA: National men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik have been handed a tricky draw for the Paris Olympics. The world No. 5 pair former world champions have been drawn in Group A with top seeds Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang of China, England’s Ben Lane-Sean Vendy and Canada’s Adam Dong-Nyl Yakura in the badminton competition from...

Ginting set to be an early threat for Zii Jia in Olympics

PETALING JAYA: Men's singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia will probably face Indonesia's world No. 9 Anthony Ginting in a mouthwatering last 16 clash in the Paris Olympic Games. The badminton competition is from July 27-Aug 5 at the Adidas Arena in Porte de la Chapelle. In the draw released on Friday (July 12), Zii Jia was placed...

Young southpaw Faiq dreams of emulating idols Lin Dan and Momota

PETALING JAYA: Junior shuttler Mohd Faiq Masawi is a rare breed as he is one of the few left handed Malaysians to play in the men’s singles. Former international Yong Hock Kin, who famously stunned home favourite Budi Santoso to capture the Indonesian Open crown in 1998, was also left handed. And so was Wong Choong Hann,...

Family’s love driving Zii Jia to be Malaysia’s first to win gold at Olympics

PETALING JAYA: Professional singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia wants to do what other Malaysian has not done - win a gold medal at the Olympic Games. And Zii Jia said his family's love is the driving factor behind his mission to end the wait for Olympics glory at the Paris Games in July. And to underline his...

Coach Nova applauds Liek Hou for another win but warns against overconfidence

PETALING JAYA: Shuttler Cheah Liek Hou will approach the Paris Paralympics in August with a spring in his step after capturing the Four Nations Para Badminton International title. Liek Hou was in his element as he beat Taiwan’s Fang Jen-yu 21-12, 21-19 in the men’s singles SU5 (upper body impairment) final in Glasgow yesterday. The 36-year-old underlined...

June Wei plans to plod on even without coach during tournaments

PETALING JAYA: Men's singles shuttler Cheam June Wei is not giving up on his career despite not having a coach to follow him to tournaments. The independent player currently trains two or three times a week under former international Ong Ewe Hock but the latter is unable to travel with him and guide him in competitions...

Olympic-bound Zii Jia captures Australian Open title after beating Kodai

PETALING JAYA: Top men’s shuttler Lee Zii Jia has bagged his second title of the year after beating Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in the Australian Open final on Sunday (June 16). World No. 8 Zii Jia, who won the Thailand Open this year, blew hot and cold en route to taking down world No. 6 Naraoka 21-19,...