PUTRAJAYA: After basking in the limelight of the World Championships success last year and first World Tour success recently, the country’s top men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik are eyeing the 2024 Paris Olympics gold next.
Wooi Yik, 25, who has a bronze medal from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Hangzhou Asian Games medal under his belt, is currently undergoing hard training required to achieve his goal.
“The training is tough, but it is a good preparation for upcoming tournaments. It is a process that we need to go through, so I think I have to work hard to reach that target. Our goal is to become Olympic champions.
“We will be competing in the Japan Masters next week, we still have three-tournaments this year. Going to be a tough journey, but I have to work hard and hopefully can win another title,” he told reporters after receiving incentives for the Asian Games success from the Federal Territories Sports Council here, yesterday.
Wooi Yik and his partner also hope to maintain their good position of being second in both the World and Race to Paris rankings.
Meanwhile, national swimmer Steve Khiew Hoe Yean wants to bounce back from the heartbreak of missing an Asian Games bronze by a whisker in the men’s 400m freestyle event, to perform better next year and earn his Olympic ticket.
“I was heartbroken, I got fourth place by 0.31 seconds, so I am working hard on it, next game is World Championships in Doha, Qatar in February. Hopefully I can get my cards for the Olympics.
“The Olympics was always my goal since young, so I will try to fulfil what I can,” he said while hoping that he could beat the Asian Games rivals one day.
A total of RM 164,600 was given to 99 Federal Territories athletes who had contributed medals to the country at the Hangzhou Asian Games in China and 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia in the ceremony attended by Department of Federal Territories (JWP) director-general Datuk Noridah Abduk Rahim.
A sum of RM109,600 was segregated to 59 athletes who contributed seven gold medals, 19 silver medals and 24 bronze medals at the 2023 SEA Games, while RM55,000 was given to a total of 40 athletes who contributed three gold medals, four silver medals and five bronze medals. – BERNAMA
