The Star - August 12, 2005 BY LIM TEIK HUAT SEPANG: The shuttlers left early yesterday for Anaheim, California, for the World Championships with a reminder from the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president, Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Salleh, on not to lose sight of their goals. Nadzmi said that there were high hopes riding on the players to perform to expectations after having achieved a breakthrough performance in the last championships in Birmingham in 2003. Wong Choong Hann gave Malaysia their best-ever finish in the singles as the runner-up to China's Xia Xuanze. But the spotlight will not be on Choong Hann this time as he goes into competition as the 10th seed. The attention on the Malaysian challenge will turn to the Lee Chong Wei and Mohd Hafiz Hashim, who are seeded fifth and eighth respectively. “Our best chances in the world championships this time appears to be on the singles players,” said Nadzmi, who was at the KLIA here to wish the players well, ahead of their long journey to Anaheim. “We hope one can make it. They have been given the best support and training they can get. We have also roped in the top coaches. “I hope everyone will think of how hard they have train here and, hopefully, give them the confidence to do their best.” Malaysia are represented by their biggest-ever team of 21 players for a world championships. Besides the singles players, the men's doubles pairs in the fray are veterans Choong Tan Fook-Chew Choon Eng, Koo Kien Keat-Chan Chong Ming, Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Lin Woon Fui and Tan Bin Shen-Ong Soon Hock. The two women's singles players are M. Sutheaswari and Wong Mew Choo. The four women's doubles pairs are Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty, Mooi Hing Yau-Ooi Sock Ai, See Phui Leng-Fong Chew Yen and Lim Pek Siah-Chor Hooi Yee. Pek Siah, Hooi Yee and Sutheaswari are not members of the national team and they have to bear the expenses to compete in the championships. The coaches making the trip to Anaheim are Yap Kim Hock (chief); Misbun Sidek and Li Mao (singles); Cheah Soon Kit and Rexy Mainaky (doubles). Kim Hock said that they hoped to start their first training session by today. “Everyone is okay. Chong Wei complained of having a stomach ache yesterday but he looks okay today,” he said. Competitions for all five events begin on Monday.
