27-04-2025
BAM juniors dominate National Under-18 Championships
KUALA LUMPUR: BAM juniors dominated the National Under-18 Championships by winning all five titles at stake at the Perak Badminton Academy Hall in Ipoh today.
Scratch pair Heng Zi Hin (Negri Sembilan) and Ethan Oh (Putrajaya) were the only non-BAM players to reach the final, but they were outplayed by national juniors Datu Anif Isaac Asrah-Damien Ling 15-6, 15-12.
In the boys' singles, top seed Kong Wei Xiang overcame Louis Lee 12-15, 20-18, 15-9 in the final.
However, Louis, 16, will give national junior singles coach Datuk Tey Seu Bock some relief as he has shown a marked improvement after joining the national junior set-up three months ago.
In the girls' doubles final, Dania Sofea Zaidi-Low Zi Yu continued their domination, despite training separately, by beating Lee Mun-Carine Tee 15-6, 15-7.
Dania, 17, is part of the national junior squad but Zi Yu, 14, is still based in Segamat and joins the former in training at the Academy Badminton Malaysia during school holidays, and normally a week before tournaments.
Zi Yu, who also has a medical condition (hyperthyroidism), is part of BAM junior programme but can only join the set-up when she turns 16.
"We have no problems with the current training arrangement. Despite training separately, we still have a lot of understanding," said Dania, who with Zi Yu, finished second in the World Junior Championships last year in Nanchang, China.
RESULTS (All finals, BAM players unless stated): Boys' singles: Kong Wei Xiang bt Louis Lee 12-15, 20-18, 15-9.
Doubles: Datu Anif Isaac Asrah-Damien Ling bt Heng Zi Hin-Ethan Oh (NS-Putrajaya) 15-6, 15-12.
Women's singles: Eng Ler Qi bt Oo Shan Zi 15-8, 15-9.
Doubles: Dania Sofea Zaidi-Low Zi Yu bt Lee Mun-Carine Tee Xin Qi 15-6, 15-7.
