KUALA LUMPUR: Former mixed doubles star Goh Liu Ying believes Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei have the potential to cause an upset at the World Tour Finals (WTF) in Hangzhou on Dec 11-15.
The 2016 Rio Olympic silver medallist stressed the need for mental resilience for the duo to excel in the mixed doubles event.
"It will definitely be tough in Hangzhou, but I feel they stand a chance. The challenge for them is the mental aspect," said Liu Ying.
"In the past, they were chasing higher-ranked opponents to improve their world ranking. Now, the roles have reversed, and they are the ones being chased by younger pairs.
"What's crucial now is maintaining consistency both in training and during competitions," she said during the launch of the Kidslympic at Merdeka Stadium today.
At the event, Liu Ying was unveiled as the ambassador for the Kidslympic, which will take place at the stadium from Dec 27-29.
Kidslympic, an initiative by the National Olympic Academy and Mycreative Moment, aims to nurture talent, promote physical activities and instil the Olympic values of excellence, respect, and friendship among Malaysian youth.
Supported by the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) and the Education Ministry (MoE), the programme will bring together 1,500 children from across the nation to compete in sports such as gymnastics, taekwondo, modern pentathlon, basketball, softball, athletics and volleyball.
National Olympic Academy director Nicholas Chan hopes the Kidslympic would ignite a new era for grassroots sports in Malaysia.
"Kidslympic Malaysia is not just a competition. It's a festival that celebrates dreams, determination, and diversity," said Nicholas.