Penang Under-16 Boys’ champion Samuel Lee is out of the second leg of division one of the100PLUS National Junior Circuit while the top two seeds in the Girls’ Under-16 K. Letshanaa of Selangor and Sabah’s Arena Satu Samin stayed on course for a clash in the final
Samuel crashed out in the first round in a late first round match played on Tuesday packed off by Johor’s Zakaria Ariffin Nazri 21-16, 12-21, 22-20. Zakaria then rode on the vociferous home support to make the last eight with a 21-18, 21-16 win over Kuala Lumpur’s Wong Chuan Chui in the second round at the Johor Badminton Association Hall in Larkin in Johor Bahru.
Top seed Chua Kim Sheng of Selangor who defeated Samuel Lee in the first-leg final in Penang in March, kept his challenge alive when he slew Ong Sheng Khai of Kuala Lumpur 21-14, 21-15.
First-leg winner K. Letshanaa of Selangor got her campaign going in stunning fashion as she conceded only four points in each game in her 21-4, 21-4 win over Sabah’s Chong Roura in the second round. Letshanaa drew a bye in the first round.
The national junior is a hot favorite to retain her title and will take on Johor’s Ler Yee Huey who packed off Kuala Lumpur’s Loke York Yue 21-15, 21-14 in her second-round match.
Second seed Arena Satu Samin of Sabah, however, had to dig deep into her reserves in the first game in her second round match before prevailing 22-20, 21-12 against Selangor’s Ho Lo Ee.
Arena, who also had the first-round bye, faces another Selangor hurdle for a place in the last four when she takes on Lim Qi Ling.
The top two seeds in the Boys’ Under-14 – Andrew Aguwell of Sabah and Johor’s Azuan Amirul Imran – are also in the last eight after winning their respective second-round matches.
Aguwell prevailed 15-21, 21-12, 21-14 against Penang’s Chew Zu Yuet while Azuan smashed Sabah’s Farish Daniel Nazri 21-10, 21-14.
