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Tuesday June 2, 2009

Now, Malaysia to host Asian junior meet as well

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia have been given the job to host the Asian junior badminton championships from July 12-19.

The Badminton Association of Ma­­­lay­sia (BAM) general manager, Kenny Goh, said that they were taking over the task from India, who were to host the championships in Hyderabad.

It will be the third consecutive year that Malaysia will host the championships and it will be held at the Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara.

Malaysia are already committed to stage the world junior championships in Alor Setar from Oct 23-Nov 1.

The BAM also have an upcoming tournament, the Malaysian Grand Prix Gold Challenge, which will be held in Johor Baru from June 23-28.

In the Asian Juniors last year, the boys’ doubles pair of Mak Hee Chun-Teo Kok Siang ended a six-year title drought for Malaysia.

They are no longer eligible to play in the Under-19 championships and Malaysia are banking on the boys’ singles players to deliver. Malaysia have in their ranks national schools (MSSM) champion Zulfadli Zulkifli and Dutch Junior Open and German Ju­­­nior Open winner Iskandar Zulkarnain.

In the girls’ singles, Tee Jing Yi is still eligible to challenge for honours. Also in the fray are the boys’ pair of Pang Zheng Ning-Chooi Kah Min, who reached the semi-finals in the World Juniors last year.

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