KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 — The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) will hold an internal ranking junior competition from Aug 23-27 to keep the youngsters on their toes following the lack of international tournaments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
BAM Development Committee chairman Datuk Ng Chin Chai said the competition, scheduled to be held at the Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM), was aimed at motivating the juniors to remain competitive.
He said 59 national juniors would compete in three age-group categories - Under-18, Under-16 and Under-14 - for slots in the playoffs to be held from Aug 30-31 and, possibly, places within the senior squad.
“Such competitions will expose these players to actual competition-like conditions in addition to letting us gauge their performances. This is also crucial for the players to continue challenging and improve themselves.
“In fact, the tournament will be used to rank the players for selection and participation in international competitions around October and November in Europe,” he said in a statement today.
Chin Chai said it would be the second internal junior ranking competition this year after the first one in April, adding that the players in the Under-16 and Under-14 categories had undergone intensive training the past few weeks after reporting for duty at the academy since late July.
Meanwhile, national junior Muhd Fazriq Mohd Razif is also thrilled to be back in action since his last international outings in Slovenia and Austria.
“The break made it tough on our fitness but the training here (ABM) helps us get back into shape. Although home-based, our coaches monitor us through Zoom,” he said.
Muhd Fazriq, who is the son of former men’s doubles ace Datuk Mohd Razif Sidek, admitted that the internal tournament would be tough for him as “my opponents are also my teammates and we all know each other well”.
“My teammates will surely do their best to get good results in their hunt for the slots to participate abroad, as will I... I will give it my best,” he said. — Bernama
