In good hands: Mohd Ariffin Nazri Mohd Zakria is a club player from the Rashid Sidek Badminton Club.
PETALING JAYA: The Sidek brothers used to dominate during the 80s and early 90s, and their influence is strongly felt in the ongoing World Junior Championships in Spain.
Former singles great Datuk Misbun Sidek is the national junior coaching director and is, naturally, leading the team in Santander.
Doubles legend Datuk Razif Sidek’s son Fazriq is competing in the boys’ doubles with Wong Vin Sean. The 16th seeds received a first-round bye and will take on Koya Iwano-Shunya Ota of Japan in the second round.
And Mohd Ariffin Nazri Mohd Zakria, who defeated Rihards Zugs of Latvia 21-7, 21-6 in the first round of the boys’ singles event on Monday, is a club player from the Rashid Sidek Badminton Club.
Ariffin, who trains under former singles star Datuk Rashid and his coaching staff, won the right to represent Malaysia in the world juniors after beating all the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) players to win the national Under-18 title in August.
He took on compatriot Eogene Ewe in all-Malaysian tie in the second round but lost 19-21, 15-21.
Ariffin said the experience of playing in this world junior meet has been invaluable.
“I came here to learn as much as I can. Playing here has motivated me even further to improve as a player,” said the 18-year-old, who gave up a plan to further his studies to go full-time in the sport.
Meanwhile, third seed Justin Hoh, who received a first-round bye, beat the United States’ Adrian Mar King-Sun 21-19, 21-10 to advance.
But it will be tough for Malaysia to win the boys’ singles title, as there are several good players from China, Indonesia, Thailand, India and even France.
France will be banking on their top seed and reigning Canada Open champion Alex Lanier to deliver.
RESULTS
(Malaysians only)
First round
Boys’ singles: Mohd Ariffin Nazri Mohd Zakaria bt Rihards Zugs (Lat) 21-7, 21-6; Eogene Ewe bt Kaito Sugawara (Jpn) 21-16, 15-21, 21-13.
Girls’ singles: Siti Nurshuhaini Azman bt Elisabed Zumbulidze (GA/Georgia) 21-5, 21-4; Siti Zulaikha Amin bt Constanze Winnefeld (Ger) 21-17, 21-13; Ong Xin Yee bt Sofia Lavrova (Ukr) 11-21, 21-15, 21-18.
Girls’ doubles: Vannee Gobi-Lee Xin Jie bt Thitiphon Klomyong-Sirinad Pirabran (Tha) 19-21, 21-17, 21-17.
Mixed doubles: Choi Jian Sheng-Lai Ting Cen bt Heya Yvonet-Heirautea Curet (Tah) 21-7, 21-11; Bryan Jeremy Goonting-Lee Xin Jie bt Gabriel Helgason-Lilja Bu (Icl) 21-5, 21-13; Low Han Chen-Chong Jie Yu bt Jason Homer-Panchali Adhikari (Srl) 22-20, 21-16.
Second round
Boys’ singles: Justin Hoh bt Adrian Mar King-Sun (US) 21-19, 21-10; Eogene Lim bt Mohd Ariffin Nazri Mohd Zakaria 21-19, 21-15.
Girls’ singles: Ong Xin Yee bt Lucia Rodriguez (Spa) 21-17, 21-12. Mixed doubles: Choi Jian Sheng-Lai Ting Cen bt Daniel Franco-Elena Paya (Spa) 21-9, 23-21; Bryan Jeremy Goonting-Lee Xin Jie bt Kean Kigyos-Nikol Vetor 21-18, 21-13; Lucas Renoir-Tea Margueritte (Fra) bt Low Han Chen-Chong Jie Yu 21-15, 21-12.
