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Former Danish national coach Kenneth Jonassen has described his appointment as Malaysia’s new singles head coach as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” that he couldn’t pass up.
The 50-year-old, who guided Viktor Axelsen to Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020, will begin his four-year contract with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) on 4 January 2025.
“I’ve always been an admirer of Malaysian badminton and how the sport is managed here. The opportunity is unique,” Jonassen told reporters at a press conference at the Malaysian Badminton Academy (ABM) in Bukit Kiara on Monday (25 November).
The initial contact came from ABM Coaching Director Rexy Mainaky, who contacted Jonassen a month after he stepped down from his position with the Danish national team.
Jonassen achieved significant success in his playing career, including multiple national and international titles.
Proven Track Record
In addition to Axelsen’s Olympic success, Jonassen was instrumental in Denmark’s historic Thomas Cup victory in 2016 at Kunshan, China.
He also coached Axelsen to a World Championship title in 2017.
His primary mission with the Malaysian team will be securing an Olympic gold medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, a target he approaches with measured optimism.
“The Olympic gold is the ultimate target. Four years is a considerable timeframe, but we need to take it step by step through 2025, 2026, and 2027,” said Jonassen.
“Achieving this goal requires collective effort. I’ll be working closely with both players and fellow coaches to make this dream a reality,” he added.
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