GEORGE TOWN, Jan 7 — National singles ace Datuk Lee Chong Wei will spearhead the local challenge at the Malaysia Masters 2016, which is part of Badminton World Federation (BWF) Grand Prix Gold Series, in his quest to qualify for the Rio Olympics as the top four players in the world.

Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) administration manager Ahmad Mohd Idris who is also the tournament secretariat said the tournament will serve as a platform for Chong Wei to earn world ranking points in his quest to clinch fourth spot.

“Besides earning world ranking points, Chong Wei will be playing in front of his hometown fans and hopefully he will be able to clinch the title,” he told reporters here today.

Chong Wei is currently world number five behind Lin Dan of China in fourth place, Kento Momota of Japan in third, Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark in second while Chen Long of China is at the top of the ranking list.

Ahmad said 338 players from 28 countries, including Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, United States, Hong Kong and India have confirmed their participation for the US$120,000 (RM516,000) GP Gold tournament at the SPICE Arena from Jan 19 to 24.

Chong Wei, the top seed, will kick off his campaign against Indian R.M.V Gurusaidutt and is expected to breeze into the quarter-finals where he is expected to face either India’s Ajay Jayaram or Hong Kong’s Hu Yun while a clash against third seed Tommy Sugiarto of Indonesia is on the cards in the semifinals.

Second seed K. Srikanth of India will face Malaysia’s Chong Wei Feng in the first round while other Malaysian singles shuttlers in the fray are Liew Daren, Lim Chi Wing, Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, Soong Joo Ven, Goh Soon Huat, Soo Teck Zhi, Tan Chun Seang, Mohd Arif Abdul Latif and Zulfadli Zulkiffli.

In the men’s doubles, Malaysian pairs in the fray are Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong, Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong and Hoon Thien How/Lim Khim Wah.

Meanwhile, in the women’s category, Penang born world number 32, Tee Jin Yi will spearhead the country’s challenge alongside world number 11 doubles pair Vivian Hoo/Woon Khe Wei and world number 19 pair Amelia Alicia Anscelly/Soong Fei Choo.

In the mixed doubles, Malaysia will be represented by world number 15 pair Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying. — Bernama