01/08/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | AUG 1, 2026

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Jonassen sees positive signs ahead of World Championships

N ATIO N AL singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen believes Malaysia’s singles shuttlers are heading in the right direction ahead of the World Championships 2026 in New Delhi from Aug 17 23, following encouraging performances in recent tournaments. Jonassen said the Japan Open 2026 and China Open 2026 provided valuable preparation for the national players and coaching team to assess their progress and identify areas that need further improvement before the season’s biggest event at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. “Obviously, some of the players had good performances, but the main purpose of going to those two tournaments (Japan Open and China

Open) was to learn what we need to put extra into training going forward before the World Championships. “Overall, I believe we are in good shape and in a good headspace because there have been positive moments and indications that the players can perform at a very high level when they control their emotions, are physically ready and have a good game plan,” he told reporters during a training session in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. The Danish coach highlighted national men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao as one player who has shown encouraging progress despite making early exits at both tournaments. While the results did not fully reflect his

quarterfinals in any of the 10 tournaments he has competed in this year. However, he has produced several promising performances against higher-ranked players. At the Japan Open, Jun Hao pushed world No. 5 Christo Popov of France before losing 21 16, 11-21, 17-21 in the second round. He delivered another strong showing at the China Open but was narrowly defeated by China’s world No. 16 Weng Hong Yang, going down 22-20, 11-21, 18-21 in the same stage. With the World Championships approaching, Jonassen believes the recent tournaments have provided important lessons for Malaysia’s singles players as they aim to peak at the right time. – Bernama

improvement, Jonassen said the world No. 28 had displayed greater confidence, better tactical awareness and improved ability to execute his game plan against stronger opponents. “I see confidence is obviously one thing – believing in what you do and being able to execute your shots and your game plan. “Another strong point is understanding the opponents, what they want to do against you, and I think he took his chances,” he said. Jonassen added that Jun Hao and the coaching team have identified areas requiring further refinement, particularly in strengthening his attacking play and improving decision making during crucial moments. The 26-year-old has yet to reach at least the

Mixed doubles coach Nova ends BAM stint MIXED doubles head coach Nova Widianto concluded his stint with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) yesterday as he returned to Indonesia after more than three years with the national team. BAM expressed its appreciation to Nova for his dedication and professionalism, describing his contribution to the development of Malaysia’s mixed doubles programme as significant. BAM president Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said the highlight of Nova’s tenure came at the 2025 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships, when Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei became Malaysia’s first-ever mixed doubles world champions. “Coach Nova served Malaysian badminton with dedication and professionalism, and his contribution to the development of our mixed doubles programme was significant. “On behalf of BAM, I thank Coach Nova for his service and wish him and his family every success and happiness as they begin their next chapter in Indonesia,” Zafrul said in a statement. Nova, who joined BAM as the national mixed doubles head coach in January 2023, thanked the organisation for the opportunity to be part of Malaysian badminton and expressed his appreciation to the players, fellow coaches and support staff for their support throughout his time with the national team. “I would like to thank BAM for giving me the opportunity to be part of the Malaysian badminton family. It was a privilege to work with the players, coaches and support staff, and I am grateful for the support I received throughout my time in Malaysia. “I wish everyone at BAM continued success in the future,” he said. During his tenure, Nova played a key role in strengthening Malaysia’s mixed doubles programme, culminating in Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei’s historic world championship triumph in 2025. – Bernama

Siti Aqilah silver shocker Unheralded 20-year-old makes history on Commonwealth Games debut as Malaysia’s weightlifting squad delivers record-breaking medal M ALAYSIAN weightlifter Siti Aqilah Farhana Draman (pic) produced one of the biggest surprises of the medal, but I never imagined I would win silver. “The gap to the gold medal was not that big. Hopefully, four years from now, I can win the gold, God willing,” she told Bernama after the a Malaysian national record. England’s Emily Campbell won the gold medal with a Games record total of 278kg, while Canada’s Etta Mae Love secured bronze with 250kg.

won by Mohamad Aniq Kasdan in the men’s 60kg category, Muhamad Aznil Bidin (65kg), Muhammad Erry Hidayat (79kg), Muhammad Hafizuddin Roslin (88kg) and Mohamad Syahmi Nor Ghazali (94kg). Irene Jane Henry added a bronze medal in the women’s 48kg event to complete Malaysia’s impressive weightlifting performance. Overall, Malaysia have surpassed their Glasgow 2026 target of five gold medals and are currently seventh in the standings with six gold, three silver and three bronze medals. Meanwhile, Malaysia continued to make progress in lawn bowls, with world number one Emma Firyana Saroji maintaining her unbeaten run after securing her third consecutive group-stage victory. The national men’s pairs team also preserved their unbeaten record with a third straight win, strengthening their hopes of advancing to the next round. Defending champions Australia remain top of the medal standings with 51 gold, 24 silver and 35 bronze medals, followed by England with 15 gold, 30 silver and 20 bronze medals, while Canada are third with 15 gold, 13 silver and 17 bronze medals. The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games conclude tomorrow. – Bernama

Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games after claiming a historic silver medal in the women’s +86kg event on her debut. The 20-year-old entered the competition without lofty expectations and said she focused only on completing each lift rather than thinking about medals or her rivals. Her approach paid off as she became the first Malaysian woman to win a Commonwealth Games silver medal in weightlifting, after recording a total lift of 253kg comprising 113kg in the snatch and 140kg in the clean and jerk. “I really did not expect to win because I do not think any target had been set for me. Even if there was one, it was probabl y just a bronze

Siti Aqilah said she deliberately avoided putting pressure on herself and treated the event like a normal training session. “I did not overthink it. I just wanted to do my best because my coach always tells me that if we give our best, we may be rewarded with a medal. “I treated it like training. I did not focus on anyone else, I only focused on the barbell,” she said. She added that she was aware Malaysia’s previous best achievement in women’s weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games was a bronze medal won 16 years ago, making her silver even more meaningful. Siti Aqilah’s achievement capped a remarkable

competition at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Armadillo in Glasgow yesterday.

The Kuala Nerus, Terengganu-born lifter, who joined the national

squad only two years ago, also set a new personal best, w h i c h became

campaign for Malaysia’s weightlifting squad, which emerged as the country’s biggest medal contributor in Glasgow with five gold medals, one silver and one bronze. The gold medals were

Indra backs Harimau Malaya to shock Thailand N ATIO N AL football legend Indra Putra

The 34-year-old Endrick played an important role in Malaysia’s midfield and scored in the victory over Laos. “We know the quality Endrick possesses and his role is quite important in the team. Of course, his absence has slightly disrupted the planning, especially in determining the starting lineup. “However, I believe the coach has other players who are capable of shouldering the responsibility. This is the best opportunity for the players who have been given the trust to prove they are worthy of representing the national squad,” he said. Indra added that the match against Thailand provides an opportunity for the replacement players to demonstrate their quality and show that Malaysia have sufficient depth to compete at regional level. A positive result against Thailand would strengthen Malaysia’s position in Group B and move them closer to securing a place in the semifinals of the Asean Cup. – Bernama

Malaysia during his playing career, said the team could even return from Bangkok with a positive result if the players maintain their concentration and commitment throughout the match. “If all the players give 100 per cent, I believe Malaysia can get a positive result. This is an opportunity for the players who have been called up to prove their ability, especially when several players cannot be with the team due to Fifa calendar constraints,” he said. Malaysia head into the match as Group B leaders after securing maximum points from their opening two matches, including a 4-0 win over Laos. However, Cheng Hoe’s side will face a tougher test against Thailand, who have been one of the region’s dominant forces and will enjoy home advantage. Indra also acknowledged that the absence of midfielder Endrick Dos Santos, who has been ruled out after suffering a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury, is a setback for Harimau Malaya.

Mahayuddin believes Harimau Malaya have what it takes to spring a surprise when they face seven time champions Thailand in their 2026 Asean Cup Group B clash at Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, today. The former national striker said Malaysia’s victories over Myanmar and Laos have demonstrated the team’s ability under interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe, giving him confidence that the squad can pose a serious challenge to the hosts. “To me, they have proven their ability through their two previous victories and I don’t see the meeting with Thailand as an impossible challenge to overcome. “Although we don’t have a truly complete starting eleven, the players we have have carried out their responsibilities well and I believe they are capable of doing something unexpected in this tournament,” he told Bernama yesterday. Indra, who earned more than 80 caps for