KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 — Malaysia are power players in badminton but for that legacy to continue and be sustained, younger shuttlers must come through the national ranks.

Judging from what was on show at the National Circuit Grand Prix Finals which ended on Sunday, we have a bright future.

Players like Goh Jin Wei, Teo Ee Yi, Ong Yew Sin, Tan Kian Meng and Lai Pei Jing are on the verge of being household names.

Jin Wei, at just 16, is the youngest National Circuit champion. She was also last year’s world junior champion.

This year she was involved for six months with the cream of the crop in the Superseries events and eventually superseded her singles compatriot, Tee Jing Yi, in terms of world and national ranking.

She is now the nation’s No 1 female shuttler and is two notches above Jing Yi's world ranking at No 32.

Also rising is second best mixed pair, Kian Meng and Pei Jing, who were paired together just a year ago.

Nervous about their partnership, Pei Jing was sure it would take more than a year for them to achieve their first title.

She was wrong. The pair managed two this year — Vietnam and Thailand Opens.

They are now ranked 10th in the world.

Ee Yi and Yew Sin have been a steady force since their pairing 13 months ago. Ranked 28th in the world, they hope to eventually rise to the level of world No 1 pair Tan Wee Kiong and Goh V Shem.

Meanwhile, late bloomer Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin hopes to be forge his own identity and not be compared to Lee Chong Wei.

Having gone through a gruelling first year in Superseries events, Iskandar is confident of being ranked in the top 10 next year.

He is ranked 23rd in the world now.