PETALING JAYA: It will be status quo in the national junior training programme in the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM).
BAM president Tan Sri Norza Zakaria had said after chairing a BAM council meeting on Saturday at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) that national shuttlers will no longer be categorised as junior or senior but based on world rankings.
Junior head coach Jeffer Rosobin, though, clarified that juniors and seniors will continue to undergo separate training programmes.
Juniors will only be promoted to the senior team based on their achievements.
“We will still be following the same process where junior players will be promoted to the senior team based on their performances in tournaments,” said Jeffer.
“My focus is still on achieving my targets at the junior level.”
Jeffer, who only started coaching the national junior team last November, has overseen several impressive results from his players so far.
Men’s doubles pair Aaron Tai-Kang Khai Xing, in particular, had stood out after capturing their maiden senior title in the Thailand International Challenge last month.
The pair also won the Dutch Junior Open crown and finished runners-up in the German Junior Open in March.
In the women’s singles, Siti Zulaikha Azmi had also shown promise after finishing runner-up in the Sri Lankan International Series in February.
Jeffer’s next main target is to get his players ready for the Asian Junior Championships from June 28-July 7 in Bali.
“So far, the players are shaping up well for the Asian Junior meet,” said Jeffer.
“They have done well in tournaments this year and I hope they can maintain their good form in Bali.
“We are planning to have a 10-day training camp and simulation matches as part of the players’ preparations before the Asian Juniors.”
Malaysia last had a gold medallist in the Asian Juniors in 2017 when Leong Jun Hao captured the boys’ singles title.
