SHAH ALAM – Park Joo-bong, regarded as one of badminton’s most illustrious doubles players, has seamlessly transitioned into a successful coaching career spanning over a decade.
Formerly the doubles coach for Malaysia from 2000 to 2003, Park orchestrated Japan’s ascent to dominance in the sport, guiding Japanese shuttlers to claim nearly every major title.
Japan won their first Olympic gold in women’s doubles through Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Adding to their medal haul, Japan secured podium finishes with Nozomi Okuhara clinching bronze in women’s singles at the 2016 Olympics, Mizuki Fujii-Reika Kakiiwa earning silver in women’s doubles in 2012, and Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino securing bronze in mixed doubles in 2020.
Now, the esteemed South Korean coach aims to guide Japan to a smashing outing at this year’s Badminton Asia Team Championships (BATC), despite the absence of some key players from both the men’s and women’s teams.
“This may not be our strongest roster. We’re missing some of our best players (Kodai Naraoka, Yugo Kobayashi, Akane Yamaguchi, Wakana Nagahara, and Mayu Matsumoto).
“Naraoka was initially selected but, due to last-minute concerns about his physical condition, we had to make a change.
“Kobayashi wanted to skip this tournament to focus on next month’s tournament in Europe (French Open). Despite these setbacks, with our women’s team ranked second and our men’s team fourth, I believe we have a very good chance of reaching the semifinals.
“Anyway, we are hoping to give our best performance, securing qualification for the Thomas and Uber Cup in Chengdu, China, this year,” said Park when met after the test court session at Setia City Convention Centre yesterday.
The 60-year-old, himself an Olympic gold medalist in the 1992 Barcelona Games, is optimistic about the inclusion of former world number one and two-time world champion Kento Momota, viewing it as a significant asset for Japan’s BATC campaign.
“Momota’s decision to participate in this tournament stems from his desire to contribute to Japan’s bid for Thomas and Uber Cup qualification.
“He couldn’t play at the Malaysia and India Open because his ranking was low (current world ranking 40), so this would be an opportunity for him to improve his ranking.
“He excelled at last year’s Korea Masters (as champion) and he’s motivated to return to his old form,” Park added.
Momota’s journey to this point has not been without challenges. A tragic accident in January 2020 left him with severe facial injuries, dashing his hopes for a triumphant performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
A road accident on his way to Kuala Lumpur International Airport caused him severe injuries, including skin lacerations and bone fractures.
In Group C, Japan’s men’s team will take on Thailand, Singapore, and Myanmar, while the women’s team is set to compete against Chinese Taipei and Singapore in Group Z.
The top four teams from both the men’s and women’s events will secure berths for the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in China from April 28 to May 5. – February 12, 2024