KUALA LUMPUR: Training too hard could prove to be paddler Ho Ying's undoing.
The table tennis player "overtrained" for the Hanoi Sea Games two months ago and this may affect her performance at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games from July 28 to Aug 8.
The 27-year-old from Johor is trying to fix the nagging injury on her right shoulder.
The Table Tennis Association of Malaysia (TTAM) are looking to Ho Ying to lead the team in Birmingham, she being the most senior player and having competed in the last two Commonwealth Games, winning medals. The association has set a one medal target this time.
Despite the injury, Ho Ying played in last month's Sea Championships in Bangkok where she competed in four events, winning two bronze — in the team event and women's doubles (partnering Karen Lyne).
Ho Ying said: "Every time I put pressure on my shoulder, I feel pain and this is not a good sign.
"Too much hard training before the Sea Games could have caused the shoulder pain," said Ho Ying, who won a women's doubles bronze, partnering Karen in Hanoi.
The paddler said the injury affected her, and she was not satisfied with her performance in all four events — singles, doubles, mixed doubles and team — in Bangkok.
The expectations are on Ho Ying to finish again on the podium in Birmingham. She won the team silver in Glasgow in 2014 and the women's doubles bronze (with Karen) in Gold Coast in 2018.
Ho Ying said she will go to the National Sports Institute in Bukit Jalil next week to check her shoulder. Besides Ho Ying and Karen, the other players bound for Birmingham are Alice Chang, Tee Ai Xin (women), Leong Chee Feng, Choong Javen, Wong Qi Shen and Lee Yong Yi (men).