Malaysia are assured of the bronze medal in the women’s doubles in the 17th Asian Games in Incheon when Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe We marched into the semi-finals on Thursday.
The Commonwealth Games champions are going great guns in Incheon after knocking out Macau’s Wang Rhong-Zhang Zhibo in a three-set thriller which lasted 55 minutes before prevailing 21-15, 19-21, 21-19 in a quarter-final match at the Gyeyang Gymnasium.
While the bronze medal is already in the bag the Malaysian pair have found the zest to carry on their challenge further although they will be up against favourites and top seeds Takahashi Ayaka-Matustomo Misaki of Japan for a place in the final.
Vivian Hoo-Khe Wei have shown tremendous fighting spirit and do not fear playing the big guns. No one gave the Malaysians a chance against China’s Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang but they toppled the world champions last year and this year’s runners-up with a 17-21, 21-11, 22-20 win to reach the quarter-finals.
There was more good new for the Malaysian badminton camp when Commonwealth Games champions Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong booked their place in the men’s doubles quarter-finals with a hard fought 21-19, 15-21, 21-15 win over Thailand’s Chalardchalaem Patipaht-Ampunsuwan Wannawat in 44 minutes.
The Malaysians meet Japan’s Kenichi Hayakawa-Endo Hiroyuki for a place in the semi-finals.
In the men’s singles Datuk Lee Chong Wei strolled past Pakistan’s Zeeshan Umer 21-14, 21-16 in 35 minutes to reach the round of 16. However, Chong Wei Feng fell by way side when he was crushed 21-7, 21-13 by China’s newly crowned world champion Chen Long in 34 minutes.
Malaysia’s challenge in the women’s singles also came to an end when Yang Li Lian lost to home favourite Sung Ji Hyun 16-21, 13-21.
In the mixed doubles Chan Peng Soon-Ng Hui Lin could not keep the momentum after winning the second set against Singapore’s Chrisnanta Danny Bawa-Vanessa Neo and lost 15-21, 21-6, 15-21.
