*Shoulder injury scare for Wei Feng
Malaysia settled for Johor-lad Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin as the third singles player when they begin their badminton campaign in the team event with a quarter-final tie against Nepal on Sunday as second singles player Chong Wei Feng became the latest to join the crock list in Incheon
Wei Feng injured his shoulder in Incheon and is still feeling the stiffness while doubles player Tan Boon Heong suffered a thigh injury in training in Kuala Lumpur before the team left for the Asian Games.
Iskandar is given the nod over Thomas Cupper Goh Soon Huat. Malaysia will be led by World No 1 Datuk Lee Chong Wei and Wei Feng is expected to play the second singles.
Singles coach Tey Seu Bock is looking for a winning start to the team event but Malaysia are likely to face China who are expected to get past Hong Kong in their quarter-final encounter.. The Great Wall of China is out to redeem its battered pride after losing to Japan in the Thomas Cup semi-finals in New Delhi in May.
Malaysia dropped their Thomas Cup skipper Liew Daren from the Asian Games after his poor show in the Thomas Cup and the Commonwealth Games.
“I still feel the stiffness and find difficulty in turning. I did not training in Incheon and instead sought treatment. Hopefully I will be fit to play but will wait and see how it goes,” said Wei Feng.
The Badminton Association of Malaysia have set a target of only two silver medals in Incheon and is banking on the men’s singles and doubles to deliver.
