KUALA LUMPUR – Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria wants to form a junior elite team consisting of top players from the Academy of Badminton Malaysia (ABM) to be sent for international tournaments alongside the national team.
He said other countries such as South Korea and Thailand have been sending young players for tournaments, and it is time Malaysia follow in their steps to stay competitive on the world stage.
“We have an abundance of young talented players who have the potential to represent the country.
“But we have been reluctant to push them because we think that they are not ready,” he said during the National U-18 Championships at Selangor Badminton Association yesterday.
Norza said he will discuss the matter with BAM youth development director Datuk Misbun Sidek and BAM secretary-general Datuk Kenny Goh on how players under the age of 18 who show potential can be fast-tracked to form an elite team.
“They will still be under the care of ABM and Datuk Misbun, but this way they would not have to wait in the junior team before joining higher level tournaments,” he said.
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He added that top players at ABM should be exposed to facilities such as physical conditioning, recovery, and injury prevention early on to ease the transition into the senior team.
Meanwhile, Misbun said the junior development programme is working with players like Justin Hoh taking on opponents who rank in the hundreds.
“He is just 18 years old but has shown that he has what it takes to join higher-level tournaments,” he said.
Justin, who already won the Croatia Open and Bonn International in June, will be gunning to win the Badminton World Federation World Junior Championships in Santander, Spain from October 17 to 30.
Speaking on national para badminton ace Cheah Liek Hou’s win at the Thailand Para Badminton International in Pattaya yesterday, coach Datuk Rashid Sidek congratulated the 34-year-old player on his 13th straight title.
“His momentum has been good and I hope he keeps it going for the 2024 Paris Paralympics.”
Malaysia won a second title in Thailand after Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli defeated Jeong Jaegun of South Korea in the men’s singles WH1 (wheelchair) final.
At the National U-18 Championships, Muhammad Ariffin Nazri from Johor took down BAM’s Lee Jan Jireh 22-20, 21-18 to bag the men’s singles title, while Siti Zulaika defeated Eng Ler Qi 21-11, 21-14 for the women’s singles win.
Azuan Amirul Imran-Zaidi Dania Sofea won 24-20, 21-16 for the mixed-doubles title against Low Han Chen-Chong Jie Yu.
Muhammad Adam Shaz-Velayutham Poopathi defeated Choi Jian Sheng-Bryan Jeremy Goonting 21-19, 10-21, 21-13 to be men’s doubles champions.
Meanwhile, Vannee Gobi-Lee Xin Jie took down Ong Xin Yee-Carmen Ting 21-16, 19-21, 21-16 for the women’s doubles category. – The Vibes, August 22, 2022.
