Frost’s blueprint to Thomas Cup glory

A BLUEPRINT, targeting to win the 2018 Thomas Cup and other goals, was handed by BAM technical director Morten Frost to the Coaching and Training (C&T) committee yesterday.

The blueprint will run till 2020, where BAM also hope to end Malaysia's wait for the elusive Olympic gold medal.

Frost, who joined BAM in 2015, believes these targets can be achieved especially with the reappointment of Misbun Sidek as men's singles head coach following a reshuffle of the coaching and training structure.

“Apart from realising our targets, we also want our shuttlers to be up there, ranked among the best in the world," said Frost following a C&T meeting at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM).

According to the Dane, Malaysia are expected to be ready with a formidable squad, as he has confidence in the leadership of Misbun and newly promoted men's doubles coach Cheah Soon Kit.

"I am confident that both Misbun and Soon Kit will work together well. Apart from trying to win a gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games, we also want our players to move up the world rankings."

Besides the Thomas Cup next year and the Tokyo Olympic Games, BAM have also set a target to win two gold medals, two silver and four bronze at the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games in August.

Fresh hopes are on the mixed doubles to shine, while the national body expect the women's doubles to retain the gold medal won in Singapore (2015).

The final list of 20 players for the KL Games were also announced yesterday.

THE SEA GAMES SQUAD —

Men: Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, Lee Zii Jia, Soong Joo Ven, Lim Chi Wing, Ong Yew Sin, Teo Ee Yi, Goh Sze Fei, Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Goh Soon Huat and Chan Peng Soon.

Women: Goh Jin Wei, Soniia Cheah, Lee Ying Ying, Ho Yen Mei, Vivian Hoo, Woon Khe Wei, Chow Mei Kuan, Lee Meng Yean, Shevon Lai Jemie and Cheah Yee See. Fabian Peter