THOUGH expectations are high that medals will be won in other sports, the one that remains the best bet kicks off at the Wembley Arena today with Malaysian eyes on men's doubles Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong.
Women's singles Tee Jing Yi and mixed doubles Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying will also be in action in the first of the group stage matches but it is Kien Keat-Boon Heong who, after Lee Chong Wei, are the ones most capable of winning a medal.
That, however, will depend on in which form they take to the court with as over the next few days, Kien Keat-Boon Heong are faced with two possible scenarios -- elimination in the group stage or taking their place alonside the top pairs in the quarter-finals.
Their fall has been spectacular and well documented but Kien Keat-Boon Heong, on their day, have beaten and can still beat the world's best but to do that, they have to put their heads together and work hard in what many say is their last competition as a pair.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong, Asian Games gold medallists in 2006, face a tough group stage as they were drawn -- no thanks to a drop in world rankings -- together with South Korean favourites Chung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae, Japan's Naoki Kawamae-Shoji Sato and Americans Tony Gunawan-Howard Bach, surprise world champions in 2005.
The feedback from the Malaysian camp has been positive, with officials saying the pair had been extremely focused in training at Bath University.
However, that may not be enough, considering the gap between them and the world's top pairs but what matters at this stage is how driven are Kien Keat and Boon Heong. If they have, over the 10 days they were training in Bath, somehow rediscovered the form that made them so lethal, then they may well deliver a pleasant surprise for Malaysia.
If not, then, it could be an early curtains as they aren't likely to beat Jae Sung-Yong Dae and, given their current form, it will be tight against the other two pairs in their group.
Peng Soon-Liu Ying, ranked World No 7, have been touted as outsiders for a medal and given that they haven't been able to beat five of the six pairs above them, they will have to produce the performance of their lives to deliver in London.
Jing Yi, 22, can't be expected to do much and winning even one match will be an achievement for her and that leaves Chong Wei, who is thankfully fit and raring to go.
Chong Wei only plays on Monday and he should easily advance against Finland's Ville Lang and, barring upsets, should cruise into the last four where China's Chen Long is the expected opponent.
Chen Long may be a rising star but Chong Wei is too savvy to allow the China player from derailing his ambition of another showdown with Lin Dan.
So, it all points to Chong Wei being the saviour again, that is if Kien Keat-Boon Heong or even Peng Soon-Liu Ying don't deliver a pleasant surprise.
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