KUALA LUMPUR – Top national mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei are drawing on the vast experience of coach Nova Widianto to mount a strong challenge at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, scheduled from July 26 to August 11.
Tang Jie believes they can benefit from Widianto’s experience, particularly in dealing with the pressure of competing in the Olympics, as the Indonesian coach won the mixed doubles silver medal in Beijing 2008 with Liliyana Natsir.
“Aside from mental preparation, the competition’s intensity differs from other tournaments. We have no prior experience competing in the Olympics, so we need to ask the coach about his preparations then,” he said.
In the 2008 Olympics final, top seeds Widianto-Liliyana lost to South Korea’s Lee Yong Dae-Lee Hyo Jung 11-21, 17-21.
Tang Jie said every pair competing at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena in Paris will have an equal chance of winning gold, regardless of their world rankings.
Going by Tang Jie-Ee Wei’s records against the world’s top three, the Malaysians, ranked ninth in the world, need to strengthen themselves mentally and physically to be a serious contender for gold.
They have a 0-4 record against world number one Zheng Si Wei-Huang Ya Qiong from China, who are likely to be the top seeds in Paris.
The Malaysian pair also won only once in three meetings with world number two Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping of China and world number three Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino of Japan.
Tang Jie admitted that they are under pressure as they are making their debut in the Olympics.
The 26-year-old player hopes that he and Ee Wei can cope with the pressure and remain injury-free for the Olympic challenge.
With just two runners-up medals under their belt this year, namely at the Thailand Masters and Swiss Open, can Tang Jie-Ee Wei create a surprise by at least securing a podium position at the 2024 Olympic Games? – June 28, 2024