Badminton: Flandi exits with the belief that men’s pairs can go far

PETALING JAYA: It may well not make sense but men’s doubles mentor Flandi Limpele thinks the timing of his decision to leave when the men’s doubles are creating headway, is the suitable factor to do.

On Sunday, Flandi’s boys Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani ended up on the verge of successful their next massive occupation title in advance of they went down preventing 18-21, 19-21 to Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto of Indonesia in the Swiss Open final in Basel.

Two weeks back, the duo experienced built the country happy by profitable the German Open. Very last year, the duo dumped Olympic Games champions Lee Yang-Wang-chi-lin of Taiwan to get to the Indonesian Open up quarter-finals.

They were being not the only pair who had revealed fantastic improvements in their recreation since Flandi was hired by the Badminton Affiliation of Malaysia (BAM) in July 2020 – in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the past one-and-a-50 % years less than Flandi, countrywide No. 1 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik have confirmed creditable benefits.

The debutants saved Malaysian badminton the blushes by profitable the only medal – a bronze at the Tokyo Olympic Games last calendar year and they did it in design and style by using down Indonesian giants Marcus Fernaldi-Kevin Sanjaya and Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan together the way, thanks to the enter offered by Flandi.

Underneath Flandi, Person Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun also received their to start with major title at the Syed Modi Worldwide in January and there are a number of other back-up gamers, who came out tops in many decreased-ranked tournaments previous year.

Flandi was delighted that he had elevated the typical of the Malaysian men’s doubles but claimed he experienced to go and request new difficulties.

“I’ve comprehensive satisfaction to see the rise in Malaysian doubles in the short time I’ve been listed here. There were a number of benefits irrespective of the issues we went as a result of under the pandemic,” stated Flandi, who won a bronze medal with Eng Hian at the 2004 Athens Olympic Video games.

“The most memorable is to see Aaron-Wooi Yik gain a bronze medal at the Olympics much too. They had been the underdogs but defied the odds. Achievements like these give a lot joy to a coach.

“It’s also amazing to see Sze Fei-Izzuddin and Wei Chong-Kai Wun breaking limitations this 12 months. I believe that I have ready these gamers the very best I could, and I imagine they have the skills and dedication to go much in their careers.”

Flandi hopes national coaching doubles director Rexy Mainaky will carry on to elevate the conventional of the Malaysian men’s doubles.

“The imagined of leaving had been there and now that my contract finishes this month, I have made a decision it was the very best time to depart,” reported Flandi.

“I’m self-confident Rexy will obtain a better mentor than me and he will be ready to get ready the players even superior. I want the group all the very best.”

On his foreseeable future options, Flandi will return to the All-Indonesia Badminton Affiliation (PBSI) as a coach.

“It’s attention-grabbing that I have by no means coached in Indonesia right before. Just after my playing career, I still left for other nations to coach. It’s very good to be again,” he said.

He is the 3rd Malaysian coach to depart in the last 4 months. Chan Chong Ming, who was handling the women’s doubles, quit in December while women’s singles coach Indra Wijaya remaining in January to mentor impartial shuttler Lee Zii Jia.

The Indonesian coaches now still left in the BAM are Rexy, Hendrawan (men’s singles) and Paulus Firman (mixed doubles).