BAM rehires Rexy Mainaky

The Indonesian legend joins the Badminton Association of Malaysia as national deputy coaching director. The 53-year-old has bagged a two-year contract with badminton Malaysia.

This is not the first time, Rexy has been associated with the Malaysian badminton association. The former Olympic gold medalist will closely work with current coaching director Wong Choong Hann. Rexy previously had been part of the neighboring country's coaching team between 2005-2012.

Rexy is known as one of the greatest doubles players of all time alongside Tony Gunawan, Kim Dong Moon, Park Joo Bong, and Christian Hadinata. Post his playing career Rexy was associated with Badminton England and helped them win a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics, 2005 All England Championships, and 2006 IBF World Championship titles in mixed doubles.

In his first stint with badminton, Malaysia Rexy groomed Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong into a world no.1 pair. Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong won gold at the 2006 Doha Asian Games and All England Championship in 2007.

Rexy had offers from Europe and other Asian countries but opted for Malaysia in the end. Rexy believes that Malaysia has already got itself a good squad.

Reacting to the media he said “when I was in Thailand, I kept tabs on the Malaysian badminton developments very closely. I was quite impressed with both their short-term and long-term plannings for 2024 and 2028, as these programs excite me.”

“Badminton Malaysia have already made some good progress with the likes of Pearly and Thinaah in women’s doubles. I can see that they are getting better and better as they were able to give Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu, the reigning Olympic champions a run for their money in the recent matches. Even the mixed doubles Hoo Pang Ron and Cheah Yee See too, who were pivotal in Malaysia’s bronze medal feat at the recently concluded Sudirman Cup.”

Malaysian legend Lee Chong Wei was the first to react to Rexy Mainaky’s reappointment. Lee said “first of all congratulations to coach Rexy, I think he is the best coach in the world. When Rexy returned to coach Indonesia and later Thailand, the performance of the respective countries improved.”

With Rexy’s appointment, we hope Malaysia becomes a badminton stronghold.