Penang celebrated their win of the Under-16 Boys’ team of the 100PLUS National Interstate Under 12 & 16 Team Championships 2024 in front of their home fans after beating Melaka 2-1 in the final at the Penang Badminton Association (PBA) Hall.
The islanders, who finished fourth last year at the same venue, were not about to be denied, especially after outplaying defending champions Kedah in the semifinals.
In the final, the highly-rated Kong Wei Xiang, who had taken the Boys’ Singles title in the Junior Elite Tour Finals earlier in June, had to muster all he could before he could ward off the challenge of Curson Cheng Yu Yang.
It took Wei Xiang a good 55 minutes to overwhelm Yu Yang 21-19, 21-16 for Penang’s first point.
However, Melaka did not let up and they fought back to draw level on points through Ungku Ameer-Syed Harraz in the Boys’ Doubles as they chalked up a 21-17, 21-18 victory over Khaw Kai Shyang-Low Quan Yi.
In the pivotal second Boy’s Singles, Louis Lee Qi Jun was fully tested by Wan Muhamad Darwisy before he was able to record a 21-15, 21-17 victory in a 52-minute exchange.
On the other hand, Perak emerged 2-1 winners over Kuala Lumpur to take the title in the U16 Girls’ team.
Ong Xin Ru gave Kuala Lumpur the first point in the Girls’ Singles with a 21-18, 21-18 win over Mun Lee in an hour-long duel.
But A. Baavanya-Balqis Safia Zahra Mohd Zain would put both teams back on level when they won the Girls’ Doubles after beating Kuala Lumpur’s Teoh Sue Mei-Lee Weng Yan 10-21, 21-12, 21-18.
Perak would then go on to capture the U16 Girls’ title with Nur Aina Maisarah Muhammad Hatta getting the better of Wong Au Mel 19-21, 21-9, 21-12 in the second Girls’ Singles.
In the meantime, Selangor scored a double in the U12 when they took both Girls’ and Boys’ titles.
In the final of the U12 Girls’, Selangor beat Putrajaya 2-1 while in the U12 Boys’, they emerged 2-0 winners over Kedah.
RESULTS
ALL FINALS
UNDER-16 GIRLS’
Perak bt Kuala Lumpur 2-1
UNDER-16 BOYS’
Penang bt Melaka 2-1
UNDER-12 GIRLS’
Selangor bt Putrajaya 2-1
UNDER-12 BOYS’
Selangor bt Kedah 2-0
SEMIFINALS RESULTS
UNDER-16 GIRLS’
Perak bt Pahang 2-0
Kuala Lumpur bt Johor 2-1
UNDER-16 BOYS’
Penang bt Kedah 2-0
Melaka bt Kuala Lumpur 2-1
UNDER-12 GIRLS’
Putrajaya bt Kedah 2-1
Selangor bt Kuala Lumpur 2-0
UNDER-12 BOYS’
Kedah bt Perak 2-1
Selangor bt Kuala Lumpur 2-0
