OLYMPICS

KUALA LUMPUR: The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) yesterday confirmed that the men’s challenge in the doubles at the Beijing Olympics will be shouldered by the pairs of Choong Tan Fook/Lee Wan Wah and Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong.

Their selection puts paid to the hopes of rising pair Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif/Mohd Fairuzizuan Tazari seeing action in Beijing.

BAM general manager Kenny Goh told a press conference here that their selection was based on their world rankings. Tan Fook/Wan Wah are currently ranked fourth, Kien Keat/Boon Heong fifth while Mohd Zakry/Mohd Fairuzizuan are in 16th place.

All the three pairs had qualified for Beijing based on their rankings as of May 1, but BAM were only allowed to send two pairs with the names having to be submitted by tomorrow.

The other Malaysian shuttlers heading for Beijing are Lee Chong Wei and Wong Choong Hann (men’s singles), Wong Mew Choo (women’s singles) and  Wong Pei Tty/Chin Eei Hui (women’s doubles). — Bernama