FORMER national shuttler Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin has credited national singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen’s persistence for his return to the Badminton Association of Malaysia as the women’s singles head coach.
He said Jonassen personally reached out to him and often shared updates on the national squad even while he was still serving as a coach in Ireland.
“One of the main reasons is coach Jonassen,” he said when met on his second day of duty at Academy Badminton Malaysia, Bukit Kiara.
Iskandar Zulkarnain expressed his appreciation for Jonassen’s determination to bring him back into the national setup.
Asked about his plans for the women’s singles shuttlers, he said they would undergo a more intensive training regime with shorter sessions but involving more sets and repetitions to boost intensity.
“It’s heavier, faster, but we give shorter sessions with more sets and reps,” he explained.
He emphasised the need to focus on quality over quantity in training sessions to prevent players from becoming stale.
“In Malaysia, I understand because I was also a BAM player before sometimes you become stale,” he said.
“So we need to give them more motivation and intensity in training.”
However, he expressed admiration for the attitude and discipline shown by the women’s singles squad, especially in the run-up to next week’s World Junior Championships.
He is now guiding 17 players, comprising nine seniors and eight juniors, with greater focus on the senior squad in preparation for the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand this December.
“Of course, I also have to take care of the juniors,” he said.
“But for now, my focus will be more on the seniors ahead of the SEA Games.”
He added that he hasn’t met the senior players yet as they’re currently in Abu Dhabi.
Iskandar Zulkarnain had won major honours for Malaysia, including silver medals in the men’s singles and mixed team events at the 2009 BWF World Junior Championships.
He also contributed to Malaysia’s team bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Games and was men’s singles runner-up at the 2016 Malaysia Masters.
Additionally, he was part of the squad that won the Thomas Cup bronze in 2016. – Bernama
