"Beat An Se-young and win gold for a special bonus": Malaysia makes bold promise... All-out effort to end '20-year gold drought'

*This content was translated by AI.

To break the 20th-year drought of Asian Games badminton gold medals, Malaysia has taken drastic measures by even considering an unprecedented "carrot-and-stick" incentive program.

Malaysian media outlet ATVN reported on the 12th (Korea time) that Tengku Zafrol Aziz, president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), stated after concluding a board meeting that day, "The 20-year wait has been too long," and confirmed that the association is reviewing a special reward system.

The specific amount has not yet been finalized. BAM plans to determine the additional reward scale before the tournament opens by comprehensively considering the association's financial situation and the willingness of sponsors to provide support.

Malaysia last won a gold medal in badminton at the Asian Games during the 2006 Doha tournament, when the duo of Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong claimed the men's doubles title.

Since then, they have failed to secure an Asian Games gold medal for a full 20 years.

This time, the atmosphere is different. The association has shown strong determination to reclaim the gold by reviewing additional bonuses beyond the government's existing reward system at the organizational level.

However, the path to the top is not easy.

Especially in women's singles, Korea's "Queen of Badminton" An Se-young stands as a formidable obstacle.

An Se-young recently achieved consecutive victories at the World Championships held in New Delhi, India, and the China Masters. In both tournaments, she delivered an overwhelming performance by securing "perfect wins," conceding not even a single game to her opponents.

She is also considered the strongest favorite for the women's singles gold medal at this year's Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Malaysia has put forward K. Ratchanok and Wong Ling Ching in women's singles. For these two players to reach the top, they must overcome world-class competitors from China and Japan, including An Se-young.

In reality, from Malaysia's perspective, the chances of winning gold in doubles events are relatively higher than in women's singles.

In women's doubles, the duo of Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah is a key asset. Ranked among the world's top five, they are considered strong medal contenders at this Asian Games.

There is also a strong gold medal contender in men's doubles. The pair of Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin, who once reached the world number one ranking, will challenge for the top spot.

Earlier, Izzuddin expressed confidence, stating, "Many strong opponents are participating, but we also see this as a great opportunity. Our goal is naturally to win the gold medal."

Malaysia is aiming to reclaim its first Asian Games gold medal in 20 years, focusing on women's and men's doubles events. With the added motivation of special bonus rewards, the team is making every effort to boost morale.

ATVN emphasized, "The Badminton Association of Malaysia is determined to end the 20th-year drought of Asian Games gold medals through this tournament."

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*This content was translated by AI.