"It's Our Greatest Comeback" — Aaron-Wooi Yik Secure Bronze At The Paris 2024 Olympics
"Even during the tense situation when they were trailing 16-20, our players played bravely," said coach Tan Bin Shen.
National men's doubles pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik fought back from the brink of defeat to secure Malaysia's first medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Sunday, 4 August
The world No. 3 pair clinched the men's doubles bronze after a hard-fought win against Denmark's world No. 2 pair, Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, 16-21, 22-20, 21-19.
The duo were on the verge of losing at 16-20 in the second game, but pulled off an extraordinary comeback by saving four consecutive match points, giving themselves another fighting chance at the medal in a rubber set.
It is Aaron-Wooi Yik's second bronze medal, having also finished third at Tokyo 2020.
Image via Bernama/Malay Mail
Even the Malaysian pair themselves were stunned but definitely delighted by their dramatic win
In a post-match interview with Bernama, Chia said they did not think they would win when they were one point away from defeat by the Danish pair, but they never thought about giving up.
"The game just now was not about gameplay or anything else, but mental strength... We never gave up and believed in each other, that's all.
"We still wanted to fight for every point, we didn't want to give up until the last point. I think it is our greatest comeback in a major tournament," he said.
Meanwhile, Soh said they managed to overcome Astrup-Rasmussen by increasing their play variation and defence.
"From there, they became very nervous, and we could feel it too, so we just kept returning the shuttle and not make simple mistakes. When they felt the pressure, we had a chance to get points," he said.
"To all the supporters who have always been with us since we won bronze in Tokyo, I hope we will do better at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics," he added.
Image via Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters
Image via Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters
Coach Tan Bin Shen said that he was proud of the boys
"Aaron and Wooi Yik prepared really well for this Games. They really wanted to win this time, they put in a lot of effort and sacrificed a lot.
"Even during the tense situation when they were trailing 16-20, our players played bravely. It's not easy but they turned it around. I'm proud of them," he said, as quoted by The Star.
Image via Ann Wang/Reuters
Congratulations on that amazing game, Aaron-Wooi Yik!
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