Tournament seeks young shuttlers
Junior championship's qualifying rounds in 10 towns nationwide to start on May 16
THE fourth edition of the Allianz Junior Badminton Championship (AJBC) kicks off next month, continuing its mission to nurture young talents who may one day represent Malaysia on the world stage.
Allianz Malaysia Berhad chief executive officer Sean Wang said the insurance company was proud to provide a platform for junior players to sharpen their skills and enjoy the sport.
'We are honoured to play a part in producing quality badminton players who can contribute to the nation in the future,' he said.
'When people talk about junior development (in badminton), it is always about producing the next Datuk Wira Lee Chong Wei or even the next Thomas Cup champions.
'For us at Allianz Malaysia, badminton is more than just pushing to be the best. It is also about enjoying the game, having fun with friends and learning discipline and teamwork.'
Wang said at the schoolgoing age, some talents might appear early while others would take time to mature.
U-15 Girls' Singles category champion Zi Yu from Johor during the prize presentation ceremony with other winners and Wang (centre).
'We are aware of this and our focus is on mass participation to grow a larger pool of players who can step up in the future,' he said.
World Junior Championship 2024 finalist Low Zi Yu clinched her third AJBC Girls' Under-15 title last year, while her doubles partner at the world event, Dania Sofea, is also an AJBC alumna.
In 2023, the tournament attracted more than 3,000 players nationwide.
A similar turnout is expected for this year's 10 qualifying rounds, starting with Klang from May 16 to 18.
Other hosts are Alor Setar, Taiping, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Gelang Patah, Kota Baru, Bukit Beruang, Bukit Mertajam and Kuantan.
The grand finals, scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur from Nov 5 to 9, will feature qualifiers from the Under-13 and Under-15 categories.
Twenty-four players per category will qualify from each round.
Under-11 players will not compete in the finals.
Participation in the AJBC qualifying rounds remains free of charge.
Winners will receive cash prizes, with top three finishers in the singles category receiving RM500, RM300 and RM150, while doubles winners will earn RM600, RM400 and RM200.
At the grand finals, the top three singles champions will take home RM1,000, RM600 and RM300 respectively, while doubles winners will receive each RM1,200, RM800 and RM400.
Registration for the Klang qualifying round is now open.
The championship is supported by the Sports, Co-curricular and Arts Division of the Education Ministry and the Badminton Association of Malaysia.
For details and registration, visit www.allianz.com.my/ajbc
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