Youngster Lishwan overcomes Vi Hen to lift his maiden Under-15 title

Finally, the press coverage of Hooi Yee Sport Junior Badminton Championship 2010 was published in the Star Publications (M) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)

Monday November 29, 2010

Youngster Lishwan overcomes Vi Hen to lift his maiden Under-15 title

By NG WEI LOON
weiloon@thestar.com.my
Photos by RAYMOND OOI

YOUNGSTER M. Lishwan survived a lengthy encounter before securing his maiden junior title in the boys’ Under-15 singles during the Hooi Yee Sport Junior Badminton Championships at the Sports Affairs’ 15-court badminton in Taman Segar Perdana, Cheras on Tuesday.

After winning the first game 21-19, Lishwan of SMK Bukit Jalil allowed Tan Vi Hen to force the decider when he dropped the following game 15-21.

The 14-year-old Lishwan admitted he had trouble coping with his opponent’s attacking in the second game.

“I was not as sharp in the second game because I lost focus. But, I bounced back strongly in the third game and took a comfortable five-point lead (11-6) as we went into the interval. He (Vi Hen) put up a good fight and tried to narrow the deficit from there. But, I knew that I was in control of the match,” he said.

Second best: Lishwan (left) and his partner Yong Han Xian finishing as the runners-up in the boys’ Under-15 doubles.

Coming into the competition, Lishwan had featured in two other tournaments and was a finalist in the boys’ Under-14 singles section in the previous meet.

“I have signed up for another six tournaments hosted around the Klang Valley during the school holiday. It feels good to secure a victory in a junior tournament over the year-end school break.
“I hope that I will continue to improve on my performance and bag several more titles along the way,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ong Wei Jian scored another double in the boys’ Under-12 category for the second consecutive year.

Following an effortless 21-12, 21-10 win over his doubles partner Leong Wei Lun in the singles, the duo faced a stiff test and came from a game down before coming through in winning the doubles title.

The combination of Najmi Kamarudin-Izzudin Muzli proved themselves as worthy finalists and got off to an explosive start to stun the favourites by winning the opening game 22-20.
However, Wei Jian-Wei Lun lived up to their billing as the favourites and wrapped up the following two games 21-18, 21-19 for a hard-earned victory.

Go for it: The girls’ Under-13 doubles losing finalists Samantha Chin (front) retrieving a shot while her partner Lim Jee Lynn, who won the girls’ Under-13 singles, looks on.

The 12-year-old Wei Jian from Kedah also won both titles in the similar styles after having to fend off strong challenge in the doubles last year.

In addition, the duo of Yew Chen Sen and Saw Wei Jian also captured both the singles and doubles in boys’ Under-10 and Under-18 categories respectively.

Former national women’s and mixed doubles shuttler Chor Hooi Yee was impressed with the youngsters who showed a higher level of competitiveness compared to last year’s tournament.
The recent two-day tournament drew 300 junior entries in various age-groups. For the boys, the four categories were Under-10, Under-12, Under-15 and Under-18 while the girls competed in the Under-10, Under-13 and Under-16 contests.

Besides badminton equipment, the winners also shared a total cash reward of more than RM3,000.

RESULTS (all finals)
> BOYS’
- Under-10 Singles: Yew Chen Shen bt Lim Chong King 21-15, 21-11
- Under-12 Singles: Ong Wei Jian bt Leong Wei Lun 21-12, 21-10
- Under-15 Singles: M. Lishwan bt Tan Vi Hen 21-19, 15-21, 21-17
- Under-18 Singles: Saw Weng Jian bt William Choo 21-17, 17-21, 21-16
- Under-10 Doubles: Micheal Cheah Wen Ee-Yew Chen Shen bt Tai Ming Nan-Faiz Zulkifli 21-16, 21-13
- Under-12 Doubles: Ong Wei Jian-Leong Wei Lun bt Najmi Kamarudin-Izzudin Muzli 20-22, 21-18, 21-19
- Under-15 Doubles: Shahrunizam Rahman-Shahrunazim Rahman bt M. Lishwan-Yong Han Xian 21-17, 21-16
- Under-18 Doubles: Saw Weng Jian-William Choo bt Lee Jo Yeap-Bok Loo Soon 21-16, 21-12

> GIRLS’
- Under-10 Singles: Pearly Tan bt Lim Hui Hui 21-12, 21-7
- Under-13 Singles: Lim Jee Lynn bt Nur Johanna Addyana 21-10, 21-13
- Under-16 Singles: Ho Wei Ching bt Lok Ashley 22-16, 21-14
- Under-13 Doubles: Nur Johanna Addyana-Chen Yi Teng bt Samantha Chin-Lim Jee Lynn 12-21, 22-20, 21-6