PETALING JAYA: The junior shuttlers led by reigning boys’ singles Under-18 national champion Kong Wei Xiang (pic) got off to a good start in the Asian Junior Championships by beating Macau in their first Group B match in the mixed team event.
Malaysia were not expected to face much problems against the minnows and duly delivered a strong performance to come away with a 110-59 win in Solo, Indonesia, yesterday.
The 16-year-old Wei Xiang gave his team the perfect start with a confident 11-5 win over Lei Lok Him.
The other players, who won their matches are Lim Boon Le (boys’ singles), Lim Zhi Shin, Eng Ler Qi (girls’ singles), Damien Ling-Tan Zhiyang, Mohd Shazmir Irfan-Ahmad Redzuan Zulwaqqarizal (boys’ doubles), Dania Sofea Zaidi-Nuraqilah Maisarah Ramdan, Low Zi Yu-Nicole Chau (girls’ doubles), Loh Ziheng-Nuraqilah and Datu Anif Isaac-Nicole Tan (mixed doubles).
Malaysia will next face Myanmar today and will again be hot favourites to come out on top.
Team manager Leong Kin Weng was pleased with the team’s strong start.
“Today’s (yesterday) win over Macau was expected as they are not a strong opponent. All our players are performing as they should,” said Kin Weng.
“Tomorrow (today), we will take on Myanmar and we should have the advantage.”
The team need to finish in the top two in the group to make it into the quarter-finals.
Malaysia’s toughest test will likely be against Indonesia tomorrow.
In last year’s edition, the team won bronze after going down to eventual champions China in the semi-finals.
RESULTS
Group A: Japan bt Taiwan 110-104; Thailand bt Kazakhstan 110-52;
Group B: Malaysia bt Macau 110-59 (Kong Wei Xiang bt Lei Lok Him 11-5; Lim Zhi Shin bt Ung Cheok Ian 22-10; Dania Sofea Zaidi-Nuraqilah Maisarah Ramdan bt Chan Hao Wai-Kou Sin Cheng 33-16; Loh Ziheng-Nuraqilah bt Chio Chi Seng-Ian Chi Cheng 44-21; Damien Ling-Tan Zhiyang bt Kou Sin Iong-Ou Ka Hou 55-26; Lim Boon Le bt Lei Lok Him 66-30; Eng Ler Qi bt Cheok Ian 77-39; Low Zi Yu-Nicole Chau bt Hao Wai-Sin Cheng 88-46; Datu Anif Isaac-Nicole Tan bt Chi Seng-Chi Cheng 99-53; Mohd Shazmir Irfan-Ahmad Redzuan Zulwaqqarizal bt Sin Iong-Ka Hou 110-59); Indonesia bt Myanmar 110-47.
Group C: China bt Philippines 110-69; South Korea bt Vietnam 110-78.
Group D: India bt Sri Lanka 110-69; Hong Kong bt United Arab Emirates (UAE) 110-91.
