KUALA LUMPUR: Two months ago, national men's doubles shuttler Man Wei Chong was rushed to a hospital in Hanoi after sustaining a serious knee injury at the Southeast Asian Games.
But on Sunday, he and his partner, Tee Kai Wun, also carrying an injury during the biennial Games, produced a rousing performance to upset reigning Olympic champions Lee Yang and Wang Chi Lin in the Taiwan Open final.
It was a brilliant display of determination and grit from the World No. 36, who also won the Syed Modi International in January.
However, credit should also go to the Badminton Association of Malaysia's (BAM) backroom staff, including those from the National Sports Institute (NSI), who worked tirelessly behind the scene to get the pair back on their feet so quickly.
BAM high-performance director Dr Tim Jones attributed Wei Chong-Kai Wun's success to the hard work put in by the support service staff.
"I'm really happy for them (Wei Chong and Kai Wun), especially as they have had some injuries. It shows they have the potential if they work hard.
"These guys can be a huge asset to the doubles department.
"Credit should also be given to our physio team, who have been working really hard with the coaches to get them match ready.
"I'm really looking forward to getting them back into some good training once they return," Jones said.
Wei Chong and Kai Wun's next assignment will be the Super 750 Japan Open from Aug 30 to Sept 4.