KUALA LUMPUR: National high jump athlete, Lee Hup Wei is hoping for Australian coach Alex Stewart’s special touch leading up to the Asian Games which takes place this coming August.
Hup Wei, who has displayed consistent performances so far this year said that he is not putting any hopes on being absorbed into the Podium Programme or any other programme, but he is hoping to be given due consideration to train under Stewart.
“For now I am just training here in Malaysia. I am very much hoping to be given the opportunity to train under Alex and now I am just waiting for permission from the National Sports Council (NSC).
“Whatever it is I am hoping to do my very best at the Asian Games and to do Malaysia proud by winning a medal,” stressed Hup Wei.
Hup Wei and Nauraj Singh Randhawa are the country’s best high jump athletes and the both of them have met the qualifying mark set for the Asian Games. Hup Wei is a triple Sea Games gold medalist having triumphed in 2007, 2009 and 2011, and he is expected to take part in one more athletics meet, the South Korean Open before he competes at the Asian Games.
At the previous edition of the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, Hup Wei did not take part and Nauraj finished a disappointing 14th place with a jump of 2.15m.
In Incheon, the event was won by Qatari Mutaz Essa Barshim (2.35m), with silver going to Zhang Guowei of China (2.33m) as another Qatari Muamer Aissa Barsham (2.25m) took Bronze.