Jonassen calls for speed, killing instinct at Asian Games

Kuala Lumpur: Badminton's National Singles Coaching Director Kenneth Jonassen is urging his athletes to display heightened speed, aggression, and tactical acumen at the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, set to kick off on Saturday. Drawing insights from his analysis of the players' performances at the recent World Championships, Jonassen highlighted these attributes as paramount for success in the upcoming competition.

Over the past three to four weeks, the national squad has been working on bridging their weaknesses and elevating their physical fitness, all in preparation for the tournaments beginning on Sunday with the men's and women's team events. Jonassen emphasized the importance of maintaining an overall speed, coupled with a more assertive "killing instinct" on court.

He also stressed the need for players to adapt and modify their game plans as required. While Jonassen expressed satisfaction with the players' current preparations, he admitted that their performances at major tournaments have not met their expectations. Nevertheless, he remains hopeful that Malaysia's shuttlers can turn things around during the Nagoya Games.

Jonassen refrained from predicting whether the athletes could secure medal victories, stressing that individual and team-event outcomes will heavily influence the results. However, he hopes that the players can leverage their World Championships experience to outmaneuver higher-ranked competitors and potentially pull off some surprising upsets.

Jonassen concluded by encouraging the athletes to fight till the very end, deliver a compelling performance, and perhaps even secure a few unexpected triumphs. He believes that a major championship like the Asian Games is a true test of an athlete's peak potential.