PARK Joo Bong, regarded as one of badminton’s greatest doubles players, has been equally successful as a coach for more than a decade.
Malaysia’s former national coach has transformed Japan into a superpower of the game, having guided Japanese shuttlers to win practically all the major titles.
Now, the super coach aims to guide Japan to a smashing outing at this year’s Tokyo Olympics, and also to better their haul of one gold and one bronze, won at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Despite such high expectations, the 55-year-old Korean legend is his usual laid-back style, a cool cat with a broad smile.
“We won one gold and one bronze (2016). At home the association want more than that. The Olympics will be held in Tokyo and expectations are high. What to do? That’s the way it is,” said a smiling Joo Bong at the Axiata Arena yesterday, where the Malaysia Masters is being held.
Japan started to make their mark at the Olympics under Joo Bong in 2012 in London when Mizuki Fuji-Reika Kakiiwa won the women’s doubles silver.
This was followed by Japan’s first gold medal in badminton four years ago through Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi while Nozomi Okuhara added a bronze in the women’s singles.
Japan’s golden charge at the Tokyo Olympics will be led by World No 1 Kento Momota, who is in the form of his life to win the men’s singles gold while Joo Bong’s charges are good enough to challenge for gold in women’s singles and doubles.
With the ice-cool and wily Joo Bong at their side, Japanese shuttlers look set to strike Olympic gold on home soil.