Visitors give winning performances in Zenne Badminton Championships

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IT WAS a memorable outing for the visiting Taiwanese junior shuttlers from two schools at the fourth leg of Zenne Badminton Championships at the 96 Badminton Academy in Balakong recently.

Former national shuttler Ong Ewe Hock, who had a brief stint coaching a Taiwan club at the end of last year, said the visitors were planning to field more players when they return to be part of the occasion next year.

“It was unfortunate that they missed out on a tournament held earlier over the year-end school holidays. For their recent trip to Malaysia, they featured in two tournaments including the Pesta Open in Penang. It was a chance for them to compete in a different environment and foster closer ties with their friends who share the similar interest in badminton here. They felt it was a very well organised event and were grateful that the hosts were also very kind in extending the friendly Malaysian hospitality,” added the two-time Malaysia Open men’s singles champion.

Still lethal: Former national shuttler Yeoh Kay Bin claiming the top spot in the men’s open singles contest.

The 40-year-old Ewe Hock, known for his eccentric showmanship on court in veteran tournaments, ended his campaign in the men’s veteran combined 70 years and above doubles at the semi-finals followed by another agonising defeat in the playoff for third spot.

For the Taiwanese team comprising 30 players, they flexed their domination winning the boys’ Under-15 singles through Lin Sheng Wei and registered a clean sweep with a one-two finish in the boys’ Under-18 age-group bagging the singles and doubles.

Although it was an all-Taiwanese affair in both championship encounters, the boys’ Under-18 finalists did not take it lightly and troubled their compatriots in the tussle for supremacy.

It was a tight contest before Wu Mu Sheng prevailed over Yang Min Fong 21-19, 21-19 in the boys’ Under-18 singles.

And the combination of Lee Chun Tze-Tang Chieh Hung subdued Lin Shang Kai-Chen Yu Jen 21-16, 19-21, 21-16 for the victory in the boys’ Under-18 doubles.

Powerhouse: Penang’s Goh Jin Wei emerging as the champion of the combined Under-12 and girls’ Under-15 singles.

However, the partnership of Chao Yi Chieh-Huang Wei Chu failed to clear the final hurdle when the Taiwanese duo went down to local hopefuls Lee Shu En-Lim Maggie in the girls’ Under-15 doubles.

In addition, they were also victorious in the third-fourth playoffs through Hu Ling Fang-Liu En Ling (girls’ Under-15 doubles), Lin Shang Hua-Hsu Wei Ping (boys’ Under-18 doubles), Chang Yu Chen (women’s open singles) and Wen Hao Yun-Yen Jing Yu (women’s open doubles).

Meanwhile, gutsy lass Goh Jin Wei from Penang also demonstrated her maturity with her superior performances edging the boys in the combined Under-12 singles and also repeated the same winning momentum to emerge as the girls’ Under-15 singles winner.

Two age-groups - Under-12 and Under-18 - for the girls were not included due to lack of entries.

Besides the visitors from Taiwan, the recent three-day meet drew almost 450 competitors including foreign entries from Switzerland, New Zealand and Germany.

The hosts have lined up two meets for each season over the past two years and will be completing their three-year programme with another two more competitions next year. Competitors from Vietnam and Australia have also joined the fray in the series thus far.

** RESULTS (all finals)

COMBINED

Under-12 singles: Goh Jin Wei bt Lee Wei Hong 21-7, 22-20

BOYS’

Under-12 doubles: Chia Wei Jie-Zachary Alexander Ee Tze Ean bt Tan Kok Xian-Lim Chong King 21-19, 21-16

Under-15 singles: Lin Sheng Wei bt Wong Zhen Wei 21-14, 21-15

Under-15 doubles: Muhammaqd Norazwan Halim-Low Hang Yee bt Wong Zhen Wei-Muhammad Umar Al-Qhatab 21-16, 25-23

Under-18 singles: Wu Mu Sheng bt Yang Min Fong 21-19, 21-19

Under-18 doubles: Lee Chun Tze-Tang Chieh Hung bt Lin Shang Kai-Chen Yu Jen 21-16, 19-21, 21-16

GIRLS’

Under-15 singles: Goh Jin Wei bt Lee Shu En 21-7, 21-16

Under-15 doubles: Lee Shu En-Lim Maggie bt Chao Yi Chieh-Huang Wei Chu 21-7, 21-16

WOMEN’S

Open Singles: Stephanie Shalini Sukumaran bt Ooi Swee Wenn 21-14, 21-19

Open Doubles: Ng Soo Mui-Ho Bee Ling bt Ooi Swee Wenn-Mooi Hing Yau 21-18, 21-17

MEN’S

Open Singles: Yeoh Kay Bin bt Woon Kok Hong 21-15, 9-21, 21-12

Open Doubles: Hong Chieng Hun-Ng Kean Kok bt Mah Jun Loong-Ng Sun Ly 21-19, 21-12

Veteran Singles (above 38 years): Choong Kee Cheong bt Wong Ewee Mun 21-9, 23-21

Veteran Doubles (combined 70 years and above): Foo Voon Lung-Goh Cheng Hun bt Azizan Mohd Ariffin-S. Purnachandran 17-21, 21-10, 21-19.