KUALA LUMPUR: Is 2024 the year for Goh Jin Wei to hit her best form yet?
The independent women's singles shuttler, who has struggled with health issues over the last few years, looked like a brand new person today as she reached the second round of the Petronas Malaysia Open at the Axiata Arena.
Jin Wei, who made only one semi-final appearance last season (Hong Kong Open), defeated Taiwan's Sung Shuo Yun 21-18, 21-11 in the first round.
While qualifying for the Paris Olympics remains a priority for the 24-year-old Penangite, the two-time former world junior champion wants to focus on improving her physical condition.
When asked if fans would get to see a "new" Jin Wei this year, the 2017 Sea Games champion said: "I'm trying a few new things; it's all in the process.
"Tomorrow, I have a chance to try again."
Jin Wei, it is learned, has started training twice a day after managing to only squeeze in one session a day following her colectomy in 2019.
Jin Wei, who trains under Indonesian Nova Armada, is also feeling more positive after changing some of her medications.
"I'm trying, trying to squeeze in one or two more sessions. Every day when I wake up, I'm trying to push my limits.
"I'm also taking some new medicines, so I'm feeling more positive," added the world No. 31 who will play Indonesia's Gregoria Mariska Tunjung in the second round.
In the mixed doubles, independent duo, Chan Peng Soon-Cheah Yee See, also did well to reach the second round.
Peng Soon-Yee See, who are likely to retire in the middle of the year, defeated Taiwan's Chang Ko Chi-Lee Chih Chen 11-21, 26-24, 21-8, in the opening round and will take on fifth seeds Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin of China next.
SELECTED FIRST ROUND RESULTS
Men's singles: Kodai Naraoka (Jpn) bt Christo Popov (Fra) 21-15, 21-7; Koki Watanabe (Jpn) bt Ng Tze Yong 12-8, retired; Anders Antonsen (Den) bt H. S. Prannoy (Ind) 21-14, 21-11; Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha) bt Kenta Nishimoto (Jpn) 21-14, 21-23, 21-15; Li Shi Feng (Chn) bt Lee Chia Hao (Tai) 23-21, 21-15, 21-18.
Men's doubles: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty (Ind) bt Shohibul Fikri-Bagas Maulana (Ina) 21-18, 21-19; Hi Ji Ting-Ren Xiang Yu (Chn) bt Liu Yu Chen-Ou Xuan Yi (Chn) 21-19, 21-15; Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik bt Rasmus Kjaer Frederik Søgaard (Den) 20-22, 21-13, 21-13; Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani bt Supak Jomkoh-Kittinupong Kedren (Tha) 21-17, 22-20; Kang Min Hyuk-Seo Seung Jae (Kor) bt Ben Lane-Sean Vendy (Eng) 21-14, 21-14.
Women's singles: He Bing Jiao (Chn) bt Mia Blichfeldt (Den) 21-15, 21-15; Tai Tzu Ying (Tai) bt Zhang Beiwen (USA) 23-21, 21-19; Goh Jin Wei bt Sung Shuo Yun (Tai) 21-18, 21-11; Gregoria Mariska Tunjung (Ina) bt Natsuki Nidaira (Jpn) 20-22, 21-18, 21-14; Chen Yu Fei (Chn) bt Aya Ohori (Jpn) 21-18, 21-12.
Women's doubles: Baek Ha Na-Lee So Hee (Kor) bt Anna Cheong-Teoh Mei Xing 21-14, 21-13; Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shida (Jpn) bt Paula Lynn-Lauren Lam (USA) 21-11, 21-9; Zhang Shu Xian-Zheng Yu (Chn) bt Go Pei Kee-Low Yeen Yuan 21-13, 21-13; Li Wen Mei-Liu Xuan Xuan (Chn) bt Vivian Hoo-Lim Chiew Sien 21-15, 21-16.
Mixed doubles: Yuta Watanabe-Arisa Higashino (Jpn) Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet (Hkg) 21-13, 21-14; Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei bt Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue (Fra) 21-17, 21-18; Seo Seung Jae-Chae Yu Jung (Kor) bt Ty Alexander Lindeman-Josephine Wu (Can) 21-12, 21-11; Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin (Chn) bt Cheng Xing-Zhang Chi (Chn) 21-18, 21-16; Chan Peng Soon-Cheah Yee See bt Chang Ko Chi-Lee Chih Chen (Tai) 11-21, 26-24, 21-8.