KUALA LUMPUR: Following the inclusion of squash in the 2028 Olympics, the REDtone Kuala Lumpur International Junior Championships from Dec 5-10 have received a record 900 entries.
Last year, there were 821 participants.
The 15th edition of the championships will be held at three venues: Jalan Duta Squash Courts, Sky Arena, Setapak and Astaka Courts in Petaling Jaya.
There will be six categories each in the boys' and girls' sections: Under-9, Under-11, Under-13, Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19.
A total of 536 players will compete in the boys' category while 364 will feature in the girls' section.
There will also be participants from Bangladesh, Canada, the Netherlands, Kuwait, the Philippines, Thailand, Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and the United States.
REDtone Digital Berhad Group Chief Executive Officer Lau Bik Soon said on Wednesday he is proud to support the event as title sponsor for the past 10 consecutive years as "we can see the growth of young talent in the country".
Meanwhile, SRAFTKL president and organizing chairman Steven Kwan said he is delighted that the tourney continues to be a Platinum event for the fifth year since 2018.
"We can expect a great week of squash with some thrilling matches from these players who are aspiring to be world or Olympic champions one day. This tournament will be a perfect platform for them to achieve their dreams," added Kwan.