UBER CUP: JIN WEI SEEKS EARLY OLYMPIC INSPIRATION IN CHENGDU
Amiril Muttaqien Meketar
Mohd Nazirul Mohamed Roselan (pix)
CHENGDU, April 26 (Bernama) -- Professional women’s singles shuttler Goh Jin Wei is optimistic that playing in the Uber Cup 2024, which commences in Chengdu, China, tomorrow, will provide a great platform to prepare for her debut at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Now that Jin Wei has narrowly secured a spot in Paris 2024, the two-time former world junior champion is determined to perform at her best in the upcoming world’s biggest multi-sports event, slated to kick off from July 26 to August 11.
“I think the Uber Cup 2024 will be the last major tournament before the 2024 Olympic Games, and the event in Chengdu will be a very good platform to get myself into competition mode for Paris,” she told reporters after a training session here today.
The 24-year-old is currently ranked 20th in the Race to Paris qualification, which ends on Sunday (April 28).
According to the Paris 2024 qualification criteria, a total of 35 quota places, one host country place and two universality places are allocated for the singles event.
A country can only have a maximum of two shuttlers in one singles category if both are ranked in the top 16 at the end of the Race to Paris.
Despite low expectations for the national women’s squad in Chengdu, the Penangite hopes that her teammates will be able to spring a surprise in Group B, which includes 2018 runner-up Thailand, Taiwan and Australia.
“As we have come so far here, we have got nothing to lose; let's go out there and fight,” she said.
Jin Wei also shared that the ‘Semangat Sepasukan’ song, which has become their ‘official’ war cry for the tournament, has boosted their spirit to give 100 per cent during the matches held at the Chengdu High-Tech Zone Sports Centre.
Malaysia will open their Uber Cup 2024 Group B campaign against Taiwan on Sunday, followed by Thailand (April 29) and Australia (May 1).
Only the top two teams from each group qualify for the quarter-finals.
The Uber Cup 2024 will conclude on May 5.
-- BERNAMA
