KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 14 — Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) chief executive officer Michelle Chai has said that it is still too early to set targets for the national badminton squad for the upcoming 2023 South-east Asian (SEA) Games in Cambodia, from May 5 to 17.

She said that there are currently 38 junior players in the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) long list, but only 10 men and 10 women shuttlers will be selected for the biennial games.

The selected players will be sent on Category A, with the costs fully borne by the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) in an effort to win medals at the games.

"We need to see who our challengers are in Cambodia... because those sent there are junior athletes for them to improve their game and to gain experience at a professional arena.

"After all, the SEA Games overlaps with the Sudirman Cup, so of course the best team will be sent there (Sudirman Cup). But we are confident in the juniors’ abilities,” she said after the SEA Games selection committee meeting at the Wisma OCM here today.

The Sudirman Cup will take place in Suzhou, China from May 14 to 21.

The national badminton squad could only manage a haul of one gold, two silver and a bronze medal at the last SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam. — Bernama