ANYTHING related to gold excites Chin Eei Hui and this obsession probably has also led her to search for glory in badminton with her partner Wong Pei Tty.
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“I like gold but I’ve never learnt the trade.
Even if I had not been a badminton player, I would have done something else. But I believe I have made the right choice and the best reward for me is to win a medal in the Olympics,” says the 26-year-old shuttler.
“Pei Tty and I have managed to achieve several breakthroughs but have not made an impact in major events.
“We have got our second opportunity in the Olympics and although women’s doubles is always dominated by China, we will go all out to earn a medal.” Pei Tty-Eei Hui have remained the sole flagbearers for Malaysia in the women’s doubles for almost five years, notching several milestones along the way.
They clinched the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games gold and 2005 Manila Sea Games gold and have even been ranked as high as five in the world.
Considering that Pei Tty’s stands a mere 1.60 metres tall and Eei Hui 1.63m, these are remarkable achievements in an event where size really matters. Pei Tty-Eei Hui have made up for their lack of height through sheer hard work and have done considerably well on the international circuit.
Pei Tty has been more successful as she became the first Malaysian woman to earn a medal in a World Championships as she clinched the mixed doubles bronze medal with Koo Kien Keat in Madrid two years ago.
However, success with Eei Hui has been elusive in major events as they have not gone past the quarter-finals of the women’s doubles in the World Championships while their 2004 Olympic campaign was ended by eventual silver medallists Gao Ling-Huang Sui of China in the last 16 stage.
The Malaysians, who are ranked World No 11, take on South Korea’s World No 5 Lee Kyung Won-Lee Hyo Jung, the fourth seeds, in the first round but Pei Tty is defiant.
“There is a chance of winning a medal for every pair. If we concede defeat now, I think it is pointless to even make the trip,” said Pei Tty.
“We were supposed to qualify for the Olympics and it cannot be considered an achievement anymore.
“Personally, the Korean pair is tougher to beat than combinations from China as they are very patient.
“However, we will go all out. If we can upset them, the chances are very good. A win against them will almost give us a chance to reach the last four and we will battle hard.” An upset will see Pei Tty-Eei Hui setting up a possible quarter-final showdown against Singapore’s Jiang Yanmei-Li Yujia.
Pei Tty-Eei Hui’s confidence has also been boosted after taking China’s Jiewen-Yang Wei, who the Malaysian could face in the last four, to three games in the Thailand Open final last month and are looking forward to continuing their good form.
Critics may not be expecting anything from them but badminton has seen its fair share of shock results in the Olympics and Pei Tty-Eei Hui are quietly confident of creating one of their own.
» FACT FILE
WONG PEI TTY
• Date of birth: Nov 11, 1981
• Hometown: Ipoh, Perak
• Height: 1.60m
• Weight: 57kg
• Sport: Badminton
• Likes: Quiet environment
• Dislikes: Noisy people and places
• Favourite movie: None
• Favourite food: None
• Favourite actor: None
• Career high: 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games gold
• Career low: 2002 Busan Asian Games team event (lost the deciding doubles against Thailand which cost Malaysia a bronze medal)
• Previous Olympic appearances: One
• Beijing events: Women’s doubles
• Competition dates: Aug 10-15
CHIN EEI HUI
• Date of birth: June 18, 1982
• Hometown: Bukit Mertajam, Penang
• Height: 1.63m
• Weight: 64kg
• Sport: Badminton
• Coach: Rexy Mainaky/Pang Cheh Chang
• Likes: Shopping
• Dislikes: Cleaning
• Favourite movie: None
• Favourite food: Spicy food (Tomyam and Chinese food)
• Favourite actor: None
• Career high: 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games gold
• Career low: 2002 Busan Asian Games team event (lost the deciding doubles against Thailand which cost Malaysia a bronze medal)
• Previous Olympic appearances: One
• Beijing events: Women’s doubles
• Competition dates: Aug 10-15
New Straits Times
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