Comment: Buck up or be eclipsed by smaller nations

2009/11/05

K.M Boopathy

THE World Junior Championships gave a clear indication that if Malaysia don't take proper steps in turning our players with potential into world class performers, Thailand could just beat us to winning an Olympic gold medal.

Thailand turned from no-hopers to the surprise package of the world junior event and unveiled a sensation in Ratchanon Intanon whose potential is reminiscent of squash player Nicol David in her junior days.

Nicol is almost resigned to the fact that she will never get a chance to play in the Olympics but Ratchanon, the youngest ever World Junior champion at 14, will get at least three chances if she continues progressing.

Ratchanon is set to see action in the 2012 London Olympics as she is currently the Thai No 1 at senior level, having won the national championships earlier this year.

Not many shuttlers have raised eyebrows since the emergence of Mia Audina, who as a 13-year-old, was part of Indonesia's Uber Cup-winning team.

Mia won a silver for her country in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and her adopted country, the Netherlands, in Athens eight years later.

Although it may be too early to predict Ratchanon's chances of winning a first Olympic badminton gold for Thailand, there is no question of her immense talent.

Even China has not produced such a prodigy. There is indeed something special about the shuttler from Bangkok.

Thailand coach Sompol Kukasemkij has proved that the Badminton Association of Thailand has been able to do development work despite limited funding. Talented players like Ratchanon have been identified and given proper guidance and also the chance to compete abroad often.

Now, other players like Porntip Buranaprasertsuk, the girls' singles runner-up, and boys' singles Pisit Poodlachard are also set to become established future internationals.

However, with Ratchanon having given Thailand genuine hope of delivering a gold at the Olympics, Malaysia must speed up efforts to match our neighbours.

With Malaysian shuttlers enjoying far more support and recognition compared to their Thai counterparts, it is unthinkable to see them winning an Olympic gold ahead of us.

Though Malaysia are established among the top five badminton nations with China, Indonesia, South Korea and Denmark, we still remain the only country not to have won an Olympic gold and now Thailand may just beat us to it.

We are still banking on Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong to realise their potential and win the men's doubles gold at the 2012 London Olympics.

Should they fail, the future doesn't look promising as Malaysia don't have a player in the same mould as Ratchanon to aim for gold in the 2016 Olympics.

The message is clear. Malaysia must keep striving or risk being overtaken by the region's smaller badminton nations in the race to win major honours.