Early Start For Tze Yong In Quest For Ticket To Paris Olympics

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- National singles shuttler Ng Tze Yong can make life easier for himself - and the national coaches - if he can use the four tournaments he's been entered for early next year to confirm his place in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

National men's singles coach Hendrawan said that if Tze Yong, 23, can achieve positive results in these four tournaments, he will brighten his chances of making his Olympic debut in Paris.

"There are many tournaments he will have to compete in but the main focus is to qualify for the Olympics first. If he can win (one or two), he will have a better chance to make the Olympics,” he said after the team's training session here today.

Tze Yong is set to begin his 2024 campaign by playing in the Malaysia Open on Jan 9-14, the India Open (Jan 16-21), the Indonesia Masters (Jan 23-28) and the Thailand Masters (Jan 30-Feb 4).

Hendrawan said they would take steps to ensure the 23-year-old can get good results in the four tournaments, besides drawing up plans to ease his workload after that so that he will be in good shape for the Olympics.

So far, the Johor-born shuttler is in 13th spot with 57,080 points in the Race to Paris ranking, three places behind national professional shuttler Lee Zii Jia (10th spot, 62,126 points).

According to the format, each country is allowed to field two representatives in the singles event at the Olympics, provided both shuttlers are in the top 16 of the Race to Paris ranking.

The Race to Paris Qualifiers, which began in May, will end next April and the 2024 Paris Olympics will be from July 26-Aug 11.

-- BERNAMA