(Back row, from left) Lau and Liew with some of the winners at the Allianz Junior Badminton Championship in Kuching including (middle row, third and fourth from left) Aizalea and Rosella.
A seven-hour journey to Kuching is nothing new for Allianz Junior Badminton Championship (AJBC) 2024 U-13 Girl’s Doubles champion Aizalea Izzara from SMK Three Rivers.
The teen hailing from the coastal town of Mukah, over 500km from the Sarawak capital, said the travel was demanding but she didn’t mind it as she had the opportunity to spend the time with her parents.
Aizalea, who has had to undertake the long trips for several years to reach badminton tournaments, won with her doubles partner Rosella Tania of SJK Nam Kiew in Sarikei.
Janice Tchin of SMK Padungan in Kuching was the sole big winner in the fifth qualifying round of AJBC when she clinched both Singles and Doubles Girl’s U-15 titles (partnering Brenda Jong of Chung Hua Middle School No.1).
Another notable winner was Boy’s U-13 champion Lim Cayson, from SJKC Choong Hwa in Gurun, who made the trip all the way from Alor Setar, Kedah.
Last year, over 2,500 players participated in AJBC and entries are expected to rise to 3,000 this year by the 10th qualifying round.
The remaining qualifying rounds will be staged in various cities and towns around the country such Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Kluang (Johor), Pengkalan Chepa (Kelantan), Bukit Beruang (Melaka) and Kuantan (Pahang).
The AJBC Grand Finals, featuring Under-13 and Under-15 finalists from all the qualifying rounds, will take place at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, from Nov 20 to 25.
Each qualifying round will see 24 players from the Under-13 and Under-15 groups earn a place in the grand finals.
The Under-11 players will not participate in the AJBC Grand Finals.
As in previous years, players participating in the AJBC qualifying rounds do not have to pay any entrance fees.
The top three winners in the qualifying rounds, for all age categories, will earn RM500, RM300 and RM150 (singles) and RM600, RM400 and RM200 (doubles).
Players finishing in the top three at the Grand Finals will pocket RM1,000, RM600 and RM300 (singles) and RM1,200, RM800 and RM400 (doubles).
Also present were Allianz Sarawak area manager Lau Ting Fong and Education Ministry Talent Development Unit assistant director Liew Guo Chen.
