Wei Chong aims high in his last world junior meet

Man Wei Chong (left) and Kwek Yee Jian during the training session at Academy Badminton Malaysia in Bukit Kiara yesterday.(06/10/2017/S.S.KANESAN/The Star)

KUALA LUMPUR: Club player Man Wei Chong (pic) hopes to end his junior career on a high before starting afresh with the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).

The 18-year-old Wei Chong, of Petaling Badminton Club (PBC), will compete in two events in his second and final World Junior Championships outing in Yogjakarta from Oct 9-22.

The championships will start with the mixed team event from Oct 9-14 and then the individual competition from Oct 16-22.

He will play with Kwek Yee Jian in boys’ doubles and with Tan Sueh Jeou in mixed doubles.

“I’m highly motivated to end my junior career with good results,” said Wei Chong, who will leave with the team for Yogjakarta today.

Wei Chong-Yee Jian are two of the six PBC players selected to join the BAM. The others are Chen Tang Jie, Soh Wooi Yik, Tan Chee Tean and Ian Wong.

“All of us will undergo three-month trials with BAM. A good showing at the world juniors would strengthen our chances of being confirmed in the national team,” said Wei Chong.

“I came through the state programme. I was with Malacca before moving to Selangor. I joined PBC (in 2011) to take my game to a higher level. I’m happy that the club has brought us to this level.

“There are more opportunities in the BAM. We have a lot of sparring sessions and there are many sponsors as well. It’s difficult to compare the club with the national body – each has its advantages.

“I will eternally be grateful to my club for investing in me during my junior days.”

The 182cm-tall Wei Chong, who adores basketball player LeBron James, partnered Tang Jie in the boys’ doubles at last year’s edition in Bilbao, Spain.

They did well to take the mixed team to the final but both failed to go beyond the quarter-finals in the individual event.

“Tang Jie is not eligible for the junior meet. I used to pair up with Yee Jian for one and half years before that – so we’re not that new after all,” said Wei Chong.

“I’m aiming higher in boys’ doubles. We will try to reach the final.”

Malaysia last won the boys’ doubles title through Teo Ee Yi-Nelson Heg Wei Keat in 2011 and the mixed doubles crown through Lim Khim Wah-Ng Hui Lin in 2007. Malaysia have won the mixed team title once – in 2011 in Taiwan.