KUALA LUMPUR – Professional badminton coach Nova Armada has meticulously planned to ensure his protégé, Goh Jin Wei, delivers her best performance yet, despite not being able to follow her to the Paris Olympic Games.
Speaking to Scoop, Nova has chosen not to escalate the accreditation card issue further following Jin Wei’s unsuccessful application on his behalf.
While he will be accompanying para-shuttlers Cheah Liek Hou and Muhammad Fareez Annuar for the Paralympic Games in August instead, Nova remains hopeful of being by Jin Wei’s side when she debuts at the Olympics next month.
Recognising the complexities of the situation, Nova has decided to focus on Jin Wei’s final training preparations.
He has enlisted the help of several international players who will also compete at the Paris Olympics, including Polina Buhrova from Ukraine and Dmitriy Panarin from Kazakhstan.
Egyptian player Adham El Gamam is also expected to visit Sports Affairs to assist Jin Wei.
Additionally, two former national players, Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin and Lim Chi Wing, will contribute to Jin Wei’s final preparations.
Nova expressed confidence that Jin Wei will silence critics who doubt the former world junior champion.
“Rest assured, I will prepare her well, studying the potential opponents she will face.
“I also remind Jin Wei that while the presence of a coach is crucial, it only contributes about 15%. The rest depends on her abilities.
“I don’t want her to feel disappointed, to think that what we’ve been working on for three years is going down the drain. I want Jin Wei to prove something there.
“With about 20 days left, we’re training diligently. Let’s show everyone our best without any fuss. Most importantly, I advise Jin Wei not to be affected or distracted,” said Nova.
The draw for the badminton event at the Paris Olympics is scheduled for July 12.
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