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Thursday October 1, 2009

Favourable draw for Malaysia in world junior meet

By LOGANATH VELLOO

GEORGE TOWN: Malaysia were handed a favourable draw for the mixed team event of the world junior badminton championships, which will be held at the Sultan Abdul Halim Indoor Stadium in Alor Setar from Oct 23-26.

The draw was held in Alor Setar yesterday and second seeds Malaysia are in Group Z with Japan, France, Singapore and Cambodia.

Only the four group winners will progress to the semi-finals with Group Z pitted against Group Y.

India are the seeded team in Group Y comprising Canada, the Philippines, Taiwan, England and Australia.

If Malaysia, who clinched the Asian junior mixed team title in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year, live up to their seedings, they are expected to take on top seeds China in the final.

The Chinese are in Group W with Indonesia, Russia, New Zealand and Macau. And the winners will be up against the top team from Group X, comprising Thailand, Germany, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Denmark and Sri Lanka.

The Malaysian world junior squad programme manager, Hou Kim Tho, said: “On paper, we have a favourable draw as we do not have the likes of Thailand and Indonesia, who both have strong doubles players in their ranks, in our path to the final.

“Japan are our biggest rivals. They gave us problems when we faced them in the Asian junior semi-finals.”

A mixed team tie is decided over five matches – a men’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

Malaysia have retained their squad for the Asian Juniors for their challenge in Alor Setar.

The singles players are Iskandar Zulkarnain, Misbun Ramdan Misbun, Zulfadli Zulkifli, Mohd Syawal Ismail; Tee Jing Yi, Sonia Cheah, Yang Yi Lian and Florah Ng. In the doubles ranks are Ow Yao Han, Chooi Kah Ming, Pang Zheng Lin, Goh Jian Hao; Ng Hui Ern, Lai Pei Jing, Shevon Lai Jamie and Ong Boon Hui.

The individual events will be held from Oct 28-Nov 1 and the draws will be made after registration closes next week.

Mixed team groupings

GROUP W
China, Indonesia, Russia, New Zealand, Macau

GROUP X
X1: Thailand, Germany, Vietnam.
X2: Hong Kong, Denmark, Sri Lanka
* Winners X1 vs Winners X2 to determine group champions

GROUP Y
Y1: India, Canada, the Philippines.
Y2: Taiwan, England, Australia.
* Winners Y1 vs Winners Y2 to determine group champions

GROUP Z
Malaysia, Japan, France, Singapore, Cambodia

SEMI-FINALS
Winners Group W vs Winners Group X
Winners Group Y vs Winners Group Z

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