BAM name Limpele as new men’s doubles head coach

Indonesia’s former Olympian Flandy Limpele who recently quit as India men’s doubles coach is now the head coach of Malaysia men’s doubles under the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) restructured coaching set-up announced on Sunday.

The BAM in a statement also announced a massive shake-up in the coaching structure with former international Chan Chong Ming taking over as the head coach of the women’s doubles previously headed by Rosman Razak.

Rosman and Hoon Thien How will assist Chong Ming.

Limpele takes over from another Indonesian Paulus Firman who is now the head coach of the mixed doubles with Teo Kok Siang as his assistant. He had a contract with India until the Tokyo Olympics but he quit recently, citing family reasons.

Limpele won the men’s doubles bronze medal with Eng Hian at the 2004 Athens Olympics -defeating Denmark’s Jens Eriksen-Martin Lundgaard Hansen 15-13, 15-7. He also won the SEA Games team gold with Indonesia in 1999 and 2007.

In another development Datuk Tey Seu Bock, until recently the women’s singles head coach has been moved back to the men’s singles where he will renew his partnership with Indonesia’s long-serving Hendrawan who is the head coach.

The new women’s singles head coach is Indra Widjaja with Loh Wei Sheng as his assistant. Indra had been the coach of the Korean national team before. 

BAM president Datuk Seri Norza Zakaria said: ”we at the BAM will continue to look for avenues to beef up the coaching structure to further rejuvenate the national team.

“The extended time frame for the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will further motivate the players for the two big meets. Hopefully, the restructured coaching team will help our relatively youthful squad to realize their full potential and ultimately make the country proud.”  

The Thomas and Uber Cup Finals are scheduled to be held in Aarhus, Denmark from Oct 3-11 while the postponed Tokyo Olympics will now be held from July 23-Aug 8, 2021.

BAM COACHING SET-UP

Coaching Director: Wong Choong Hann

Men’s singles: Hendrawan (head coach); Datuk Tey Seu Bock 

Men’s doubles: Flandy Limpele (head coach); Rosman Razak, Hoon Thien How

Women’s singles: Indra Widjaja (head coach); Loh Wei Sheng

Women’s doubles: Chan Chong Ming (head coach); Chin Eei Hui, Wong Pei Tty

Mixed doubles: Paulus Firman (head coach); Teo Kok Siang

– BY RIZAL ABDULLAH