National Olympic debutants Aaron-Wooi Yik storm into badminton quarter-finals

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National men’s badminton squad Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik against the Canadian men’s squad Nyl Kiyoshi Yakura and Jason Anthony Ho-Shue during Group D match at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Mushashino Sports Plaza today. — Bernama photo

TOKYO (July 27): National men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik produced a storming performance to trounce Canada’s Jason Ho-Shue-Nyl Yakura 21-15, 21-13 and qualify for the last eight in style tonight.

World number nine Aaron-Wooi Yik were in their element, producing powerful smashes and flicks, to overcome the Canadian world number 32 in just 33 minutes in their final Group D match at the Musashino Forest Sports Plaza here.

Going into the match knowing they had to win to make the last eight, the Malaysians, who lost 16-21, 19-21 to three-time world champions Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia in the second match yesterday, played with more urgency to stay in total control for an emphatic straight-game win.

Aaron-Wooi Yik had earlier made their Olympic debut by beating South Korea’s Choi Sol-gyu-Seo Seung-jae 22-24, 15-21 on Saturday (July 24).

Earlier, second seeds Ahsan-Hendra defeated the Koreans 21-12, 19-21, 21-18 in another match to top Group D by winning all their three matches.

Aaron-Wooi Yik, the 2019 SEA Games champions, finished second in the group with two wins and one defeat.

The quarter-finals are scheduled to be held on Thursday (July 29). — Bernama