A few more golds for me today, pls!

UPDATE: YES! YES! YES! (in the manner of that fruity shampoo advert!) Both Chong Wei and Choong Hann made it to the finals!!! And what does that mean? Malaysia BOLEH! Malaysia BOLEH!

Almost every evening after a decent grace between Quran class and a bit of homework, we’d gather in front of Mak Bashah’s house. The ones who got there early would put up the make shift net, tying one end to the coconut tree edging toward’s Ah Gek’s house and the other end to one of the stilts of Mak Bashah’s wooden house. Her compound, when it wasn’t a badminton court, was also where we played rounders and hopscotch. The problem was, if someone was to hit a high ball, we’d have to use the same stick that we used to get the jambu, to retrieve our shuttle cock.

That was my only experience with badminton. I had never excelled in it, nor takenthe trouble to properly understand the game. And with what little knowledge I had, I was soon to cover the All England Badminton in Birmingham for several years, watching badminton greats such as the Sidek brothers, Soon Kit, Ewe Hock and Wan Wah and many others from other countries. After the games, with fever pitch enthusiasm, the group of us covering the game, would return to London and book ourselves a badminton court every Sunday – but the sessions usually ended with a trip to Southall for a bit of lamb briani and tandoori.

Just now – just a few hours ago, I watched Wong Choong Hann and Lee Chong Wei sail through to the semi finals at the Commonwealth games. Choong Wah looked tired and gave us a few tense moments when his Singaporean opponent caught up with him but with Chong Wei, although Anup from India tried his very best, it was smooth sailing. It was nice to hear one of the commentators say, “When we talk about Chong Wei, we are talking about class!”

I just hope that they bring back the gold! At this very moment we have only three. It is occassions like this when we rally around to cheer for the home country, that we feel a sense of belonging. I remember the cheering crowd at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham cheering on our players, waving the Malaysian flags and singing every patriotic song they could remember. It was wonderful. I remember the time when Malaysia was already in the semi finals playing Indonesia. Half the stadium was filled with Malaysian supporters and what a noisy lot we were! Those were the pre-Malaysia Boleh days.

The last few days, watching the game on TV, shouts of Malaysia Boleh filled the air once again. One commentator said, what a noisy lot the Malaysians are! Hahaha! I certainly agree with that. The shouts of Malaysia Boleh that cheered Malik Mydin across the English Channel are still ringing in my ears and I believe they are still echoing around the white cliff of Dover.

Well, all the best to our players and just for today, bring me back a few more golds, eh?