Tuesday April 4, 2006
Juniors off to Sydney
By Y.P. SIVAM
FIVE trainees from the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MPPJ) junior squash development programme have been picked for the Australian National Junior Series in Sydney from April 14 to 22.
The five – two boys and three girls – were picked based on their performance in the first leg of the Milo-SportExcel junior circuit held in Penang last month.
The two boys are the Yuen siblings – Ivan and Marcus – while the girls are P.T. Pushppa Devi, Tan Yan Xin and Yong Sue Ann.
Ivan and Pushppa Devi will be playing in the boys’ Under-17 and girls’ Under-17 categories respectively. Tan and Yong will battle for honours in the girls’ Under-13 age group while Marcus will be in action in the boys’ Under-13.
In Penang, Ivan was the boys’ Under-19 champion while Pushppa Devi was runner-up in the girls’ Under-19 group. Yong won the girls’ Under-15 title. However Marcus and Tan played in higher age groups but still managed to finish among the top eight.
Ivan, Pushppa Devi and Tan are also in the Selangor team for the Sukma in Alor Star in May.
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(From left) Ivan, Pushppa Devi, Yan Xin, Sue Ann and Marcus have been picked for the Australian National Junior Series in Sydney. |
“They have a big responsibility and have to justify the trip to Australia. They have excellent results in local competitions. Some of them have also played in overseas competitions. But now they have to start finishing on podium to make an impact in international competitions,” said Ong.
The five players, she added, will have a busy schedule for the next two months. This weekend they will be taking part in the second leg of the Milo-SportExcel junior circuit.
Then they will be heading to Australia. Upon their return they will be in action in the third leg of the Milo- SportExcel circuit in early May. For Ivan, Pushppa Devi and Tan, their biggest challenge will be the Sukma in Alor Star.
After the Sukma, the players will be taking part in the Milo-All-Stars International Junior squash championships, organised by SRAS and MPPJ in conjunction with the proclamation of Petaling Jaya as a city.
Ong also said the top players have also been selected to represent Malaysia in the Asian Junior individual squash championships in Singapore in mid-June.
“Our players have to be physically and mentally strong for the tough competitions lined up. They have been consistent over the past two years. They are also aware of the expectations. We want to see them do well for the state and country,” she said.
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