Latest news with #MohdHafizHashim
The Star
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Smashing Saudi stint
In demand: Mohd Hafiz Hashim was previously linked with the vacant post of Malaysia's women's singles coach. PETALING JAYA: Former All-England champion Mohd Hafiz Hashim is charting a new path in his coaching career after being appointed as the high performance coach for the Saudi Arabia's national badminton team. Hafiz described the opportunity as a fresh challenge, as he has been entrusted with developing a relatively new team still finding their footing in the sport. After his two-year stint with the Suchitra Badminton Academy in Hyderabad ended in May, Hafiz revealed that he had received several coaching offers, including from clubs in India keen to secure his services. He was also previously linked with the vacant post of Malaysia's women's singles coach, but ultimately decided to accept the offer from the Saudi Badminton Federation. Badminton is still a developing sport in the Middle Eastern nation, with the national team only formed in 2014. In fact, Saudi Arabia only made their debut at the Asian Men's Team Championship last year when the tournament was held in Setia Alam, Selangor. 'I was supposed to begin on Aug 1, but due to visa issues, I'll be starting a little later. I'm flying there this Wednesday,' said Hafiz when contacted. 'Initially, the association wanted my services until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but since the contract is offered through the government, it will be renewed on a yearly basis. 'They've asked me to prepare a comprehensive plan to help raise the level of badminton in Saudi Arabia. It will take time to produce results, and they are realistic about that. 'But the truth is, they do have talented players who need to be nurtured. They're only just beginning to build their elite programme, so it wouldn't be fair to compare them with countries like Malaysia that have had structured systems for decades.' Given Hafiz's credentials, the Saudi Badminton Federation are hoping he can groom players to qualify for the Olympics for the first time at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. But before turning his sights on Los Angeles, Hafiz will first focus on grooming promising players to qualify for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya next September. 'Apart from identifying potential tournaments, my immediate task is to work on improving the players' rankings so they can earn the chance to compete in higher-level competitions,' he said. 'It's no small challenge, but I welcome it. Any improvement we achieve will be something to be proud of, especially since Saudi Arabia are still a minority in the badminton scene. We need to train not just their physical abilities but also their mental strength – and I have to build everything from scratch,' added Hafiz.
The Star
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Former All-England champ Hafiz relishes smashing debut as Saudi's coach
PETALING JAYA: Former All-England champion Mohd Hafiz Hashim is charting a new path in his coaching career after being appointed as the high performance coach for the Saudi Arabia's national badminton team. Hafiz described the opportunity as a fresh challenge, as he has been entrusted with developing a relatively new team still finding their footing in the sport. After his two-year stint with the Suchitra Badminton Academy in Hyderabad ended in May, Hafiz revealed that he had received several coaching offers, including from clubs in India keen to secure his services. He was also previously linked with the vacant post of Malaysia's women's singles coach, but ultimately decided to accept the offer from the Saudi Badminton Federation. Badminton is still a developing sport in the Middle Eastern nation, with the national team only formed in 2014. In fact, Saudi Arabia only made their debut at the Asian Men's Team Championship last year when the tournament was held in Setia Alam, Selangor. "I was supposed to begin on Aug 1, but due to visa issues, I'll be starting a little later. I'm flying there this Wednesday," said Hafiz when contacted. "Initially, the association wanted my services until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but since the contract is offered through the government, it will be renewed on a yearly basis. "They've asked me to prepare a comprehensive plan to help raise the level of badminton in Saudi Arabia. It will take time to produce results, and they are realistic about that. "But the truth is, they do have talented players who need to be nurtured. They're only just beginning to build their elite programme, so it wouldn't be fair to compare them with countries like Malaysia that have had structured systems for decades." Given Hafiz's credentials, the Saudi Badminton Federation are hoping he can groom players to qualify for the Olympics for the first time at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. But before turning his sights on Los Angeles, Hafiz will first focus on grooming promising players to qualify for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya next September. "Apart from identifying potential tournaments, my immediate task is to work on improving the players' rankings so they can earn the chance to compete in higher-level competitions," he said. "It's no small challenge, but I welcome it. Any improvement we achieve will be something to be proud of, especially since Saudi Arabia are still a minority in the badminton scene. 'We need to train not just their physical abilities but also their mental strength – and I have to build everything from scratch," added Hafiz.
The Star
01-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Kenneth can consider Hafiz for singles coaching job
Rolling back the good old times: Mohd Hafiz Hashim (left) taking a photo with Lee Chong Wei, Chan Peng Soon, Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara when they were in BAM. PETALING JAYA: Former All-England men's singles champion Mohd Hafiz Hashim is availabe for coaching job as his contract with Suchitra Badminton Academy in Hyderabad has ended. The 42-year-old Hafiz has been with the club since February, 2023. With Hafiz not being tied down with any clubs, he will be available for new stints. And with the BA of Malaysia's singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen looking for one more coach to beef up his department following the departure of Jeffer Rosobin of Indonesia, Hafiz seems to be an ideal candidate. Hafiz has his heart set in Malaysia although he is open to any opportunities to coach and contribute for the sport. In his posting on Facebook, Hafiz said: "I'm officially no longer associated with Suchitra Badminton Acaemy as of today (May 1, 2025). However. I've decided to stay in Hyderabad for the time being due to personal reasons." Currently, Hafiz is in Hyderabad with his wife and children. "I'm still actively coaching here, though I'm not currently attached to any academy or club." Added Hafiz: "If any offer comes from BAM, I will consider definitely. I've learnt many things here related to badminton, discipline, culture and the people here. I'll value the experience for sure."
