KUANTAN: The second leg of the inaugural NCT Junior Badminton Championships in Kuantan concluded successfully with about 500 players aged 9 to 15, mainly from the East Coast, grabbing the rare opportunity to showcase their talents.
And it was the players from the East Coast who came out on top after 2 days of intense competition.
The top 4 players from this leg will also automatically qualify for the final round in Kuala Lumpur in June.
The single’s event champions of under-15 category will be guaranteed a trip to Paris to watch the 2024 Olympics.
The winners from this leg are listed below:
U15 Boys Singles: Albee Loh Cheng Yi
U13 Boys' Singles: Teoh Liang Hong
U11 Boys' Singles: Shahadzryl Bin Suhaime
U9 Boys' Singles: Sie Zi Feng
U15 Girls' Singles: Auni Fatihin Binti Azuan
U13 Girls' Singles: Chong Wan Xin
U11 Girls' Singles: Nur Balqis Khatijah Binti Ahmad Redzuan
U9 Girls' Singles: Adriana Delysha Bt Amzari
U15 Boys' Doubles: Ivan Lim Yu Zhe/Kua Wei Ze
U13 Boys' Doubles: Fawwaz Sufyan Bin Mohd Shuib/Tan Teng Hinn
U11 Boys' Doubles: Chong Yi/Shahadzryl Bin Suhaime
U15 Girls' Doubles: Teoh Sue Mei/Vanshikapriya A/P Ravichandran
U13 Girls' Doubles: Goh Wen Xuan/Law Kai Ling
U11 Girls' Doubles: Nur Aini Khalisha Binti Mohd Khairol/Nur Balqis Khatijah Binti Ahmad
NCT Junior Badminton Championships promoter Dato' Jack Koh said he was happy to see young players from the East Coast actively participating in the tournament, with some even travelling from Kelantan and Terengganu for the tournament, which proves their love and support for badminton.
“There are talented players all over Malaysia, and some of them are never showcased because they don’t have good opportunities. After this leg of the tournament, we see that there is no shortage of players with potential here on the East Coast who even have the strength to compete with players from all over the country. Like 11-year-old double champion Shahadzryl Bin Suhaime and Nur Balqis Khatijah, who hit the ground running. And 13-year-old national champion Chong Wan Xin has the same chance to become a double champion in this tournament.”
Mr. Yap Chun Theng, the Executive Director of NCT Alliance expressed, “We are immensely proud of the spirited performances and the high level of competition displayed during the NCT Junior Badminton Championship.
We are pleased to witness this initiative evolving from a tournament into a significant platform for promising young talent to flourish and thrive. The success of these championships reflects our commitment to nurturing young sports enthusiasts and providing them with the opportunities to excel. Our heartfelt congratulations go to all participants, and we are excited to continue uncovering and supporting more hidden talents across the nation.”
According to Mr Ivan Yee, proprietor of the Kuantan Synergy Sports Centre, the venue for this tournament, who has also been involved in the development of badminton in the area for more than 20 years, the development of badminton here still needs to be upgraded as compared to other major cities.
“It is usually relatively more difficult for players to find sparring partners when they reach the age of 16 or 17, and they have to look for them elsewhere. But there have been a lot of good players here in recent years, including four national champions.”
After Kuantan, the tournament progressed to Selangor leg from 8 to 10 March, which is expected to see a peak in the number of participants.
It is worth noting that after Selangor, there will be a leg in Sabah (19-21 April), the only leg held in East Malaysia. Dato Jack Koh hopes to create a badminton extravaganza in Sabah that also attracts as many local young talents to participate as the previous two stops.
NCT Alliance has partnered with Petaling Badminton Club (Petaling BC) to unveil an inspiring initiative - a nationwide series of badminton tournaments including the prestigious Road to NCT Junior Badminton Championship, aimed at nurturing the champions of tomorrow. The tournaments is set to kick-off with a youth category, targeting participants aged 9 to 15 years old.
To further ignite the spirit of sportsmanship among Malaysians, participants of the Road to NCT Junior Badminton Championship will also stand a chance to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, an all-inclusive trip to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, an experience of unparalleled significance.
