KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 (Bernama) — Though World number one Datuk Lee Chong Wei would be 30 and at the twilight of his career, he hopes to go out with a bang by winning the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
Chong Wei who will be 30 when the London Olympics comes around, told reporters that though he would be busy playing a number of tournaments throughout the years to come, his preparations would remain focused on the London Olympics.
“From now to 2012, there could be better players coming through the mill but to me such competition will be good,” he told reporters here today after receiving an award from the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM), in recognition of his silver medal feat at the Beijing Olympics, last year.
Chong Wei who lost in the men’s singles final to Lin Dan in Beijing, would be hoping to make amends at the All England championships next month as Lin Dan, the world number two and defending champion, is expected to lead a strong Chinese delegation to the championship after skipping a number of tournaments since December.
The Chinese players, said to be undergoing army-style training after the Olympics, had skipped the Super Series Masters Finals in Kota Kinabalu (December), the Malaysian Open which was the opening event of the 2009 Super Series and the Korean Open, both held last month.
Chong Wei who clinched the Masters Final, Malaysian Open crowns and expected to meet unseeded Bao Chunlai in the opening round of the All England, however said he was not too worried about his opponent but rather would concentrate on his physical and mental preparations.
“I do not want to go to the all England carrying injuries as I need to be in the best condition to reach the final,” he said.
Apart from Lin Dan and Chunlai, China’s world number three, Chen Jin had confirmed their participation for the March 5-8, All England.
Meanwhile, world number in the men’s singles, Park Sung-hwan from South Korea is said to be injured and may skip the All England.