MALAYSIA’S wait for a gold medal in the International Under-19
Championships finally came to an end when mixed doubles’ Tan Jinn Hwa-Eng Pui Yee and Chua Khek Wei-Peck Yen
Wei cruised into the final in Kota Kinabalu yesterday.
Third seeded Jinn Hwa-Pui Yee needed only 21 minutes to send Taiwan’s Lee Chia Hao-Hsu Wen Chi packing with a 11-10, 11-3, 11-7 win.
Khek Wei-Yen Wei were involved in an even shorter match.
The sixth seeded Malaysians defeated Singapore’s Jason Wong Guang Liang-Sari Dewi Citra Putri 11-4, 11-10, 11-10 in 17 minutes.
Malaysia, who have not won gold since the tournament’s inception in 2012, will also be represented in the men’s singles, men’s doubles and women’s singles finals today.
Top seed Cheam June Wei easily dispatched compatriot Muhammad Iqram Muala Azman 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 in the boys’ singles semi-finals yesterday.
The 17-year-old Penangite will face South Korea’s Seo Seung Jae in the final.
Doubles’ Tan Jia Wei-Soh Wooi Yik, who upset fifth seeds Lee Jun Su-Seo Seung Jae
of South Korea 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 yesterday, face an uphill task in the final as they take on second seeds Po Li Wei-Yang Ming Tse of Taiwan.
Girls’ singles Ho Yen Mei, meanwhile, is looking forward to finally winning her first major junior title as she plays South Korea’s Kim Ga Eun today.
Yen Mei, who beat Singapore’s Yeo Jiamin 11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7 yesterday said: “I’m really excited to be in the final and I’m enjoying this new scoring system as well.
“It’s more intense but I prefer it to the 21 points system.
“I have beaten Ga Eun before, so my aim is to do it again tomorrow (today),” Yen Mei said.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s interest at the Indonesian Masters in Palembang ended yesterday.
Men’s singles Liew Daren and Zulfadli Zulkifli crashed out in the semi-finals, losing 21-14, 14-21, 21-14 and 21-17, 21-15 to India’s H.S. Prannoy and Indonesia’s Firman Abdul Kholik respectively.
Women’s doubles’ Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean lost 21-19, 21-13 to fourth seeds Keshya Nurvita Hanadia-Devi Tika Permatasari of Indonesia.