KUALA LUMPUR: Former world junior champion, Goh Jin Wei (pix) is staying on course towards her Paris 2024 Olympics dreams, after clearing the women’s singles first round obstacle in the Malaysia Open, today.
The 23-year-old independent shuttler, who is yet to gain her real form since undergoing colectomy surgery in 2019 due to a stomach ailment, beat Taiwan’s Sung Shuo Yun 21-18, 21-11 at the Axiata Arena here.
However, Jin Wei, currently ranked 31st in the world, is set to face an uphill task in the second round, tomorrow, against seventh seed Gregoria Mariska Tunjung of Indonesia, who ousted Natsuki Nadaira of Japan 20-22, 21-18, 21-14.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Jin Wei said she is pushing her limits in training to improve her fitness and skills, as well as training together with male shuttlers because she still had a lot to catch up against the world’s top 30.
“Though I used the one month off season period for preparations, I still felt like not enough, because at one point I felt like lost focus. Tomorrow up against Gregoria, she is much more experienced, but looking forward to it.
“I am really trying my best to go beyond my limit everyday, but still in the process. My ultimate target is the Olympics, very positive about it,” she said.
The 2015 and 2018 girls’ singles world junior champion has a bright chance to qualify for Paris 2024, being ranked 28th in the Olympic qualifications.
If Jin Wei continues her good run in the home tournament, she will gain more valuable points to climb the rung, considering the Super 1000 status of the Malaysia Open.
The next best Malaysian in the ranking is K. Letshanaa (63), followed by S. Kisona (85) and Wong Ling Ching (93).
According to the Paris 2024 qualification criteria, a total of 35 quota places, one host country place and two universality places are allocated for singles event.
A country can only have maximum of two shuttlers in one singles category if both are ranked top 16 at the end of Race to Paris qualification period of April 28. -Bernama
