ARE we looking at the next Lee Chong Wei in Leong Jun Hao?
The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) certainly hope so after the unheralded 18-year-old Malaysian became the best junior player in Asia today.
Jun Hao served notice of his great potential by winning the boys’ singles crown by beating China’s Bai Yupeng 21-6, 20-22, 21-17 in the final of the Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Jakarta.
Jun Hao’s win also ended Malaysia’s four-year wait since Soo Teck Zhi’s victory in 2013 in Kota Kinabalu.
Bukit Jalil Sports School coach Kwan Yoke Meng said: “Jun Hao, especially, has done everyone proud and it is only natural for people to expect him to win the top prize at the World Junior Championships this year.
Today’s success has certainly put Jun Hao as one of the contenders for the world junior title.