SHAH ALAM – Intense training modules may have contributed to Malaysian singles badminton player Ng Tze Yong’s back injury, jeopardising his chances of qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, said former director of Junior Singles Coaching at Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM), Datuk Misbun Sidek.
He said that as a “soft” and technical player, the silver medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham needed training tailored to his physical condition to ensure his badminton career development and prospects of winning medals at the Olympics were not hindered.
“What I can see is that his recurring (back) injury may be due to the intensity of training modules or exercises that put a lot of strain on his body.
“I used to coach him, and as a junior player, I found him to be a soft player, where training focused more on strengthening technical aspects and gameplay skills,” he said when met at a badminton clinic in conjunction with the Sidek Children’s: Legends of the Nation’s Badminton exhibition held here today.
He was commenting on Tze Yong’s chances of qualifying for the Paris Olympics, which will take place in July, as the 24-year-old player will undergo back surgery following an injury sustained during the 2024 Badminton Asia Team Championships last month.
Misbun also did not rule out the possibility that Tze Yong’s recurring back injury could also be attributed to the number of matches the player had to participate in.
“Perhaps now that he is participating in many matches, many new elements have been added to the intense training input, causing him to suffer from recurring injuries,” he said.
On December 2, last year, Tze Yong was reported to have changed his training regimen to a more intensive one by undergoing training for at least six hours a day to overcome difficulties in maintaining consistency during matches.
However, ABM coaching director Rexy Mainaky denied that Tze Yong’s injury was due to overtraining.
Tze Yong is currently ranked 15th in Olympic qualification, and he must remain in the top 16 to compete in the world’s largest multi-sport event. – March 3, 2024