KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s bid to reach the finals of the 2023 World Junior Mixed Team Championships in Spokane, United States fell short when it suffered a 0-3 defeat to China in the semi-finals last night.
Malaysia, however, brought home the bronze medal for the fourth time after the 2006, 2008 and 2010 editions.
Earlier in the action at the podium, the youth squad did not have a good start when the national mixed doubles Low Han Chen-Chan Wen Tse lost 11-21, 16-21 to Liao Pin Yi-Zhang Jia Han in just 27 minutes of match time.
Men’s singles player Eogene Ewe, who was expected to put Malaysia back on track for the national badminton camp, also had to accept defeat at the hands of Hu Zhe An when he was defeated in straight sets 17-21, 14-21.
This downward spiralled with national women’s singles player Siti Zulaikha Muhammad Azmi’s straight sets loss to Xu Wen Jing, 17-21, 18-21 in a 39-minute match.
Following the success, the 13-time champion China will face Indonesia in the final action later today.
Still, the result is something to be proud of for Malaysia’s young squad when it bettered last year’s result which saw Malaysia finish in ninth place in the mixed team competition after beating Denmark 4-1.
Malaysia won the championship in 2011 and was runner-up in the 2009, 2016, and 2017 editions.
The national youth squad will next focus on individual events at the same tournament which will start on Monday. — September 30, 2023