The host state Penang alongside Kuala Lumpur are the favourites to win the 100PLUS National Inter State Team U-12 & U-16 Championships after both teams claimed handsome wins in the third day at the Bukit Dumbar Penang BA Badminton Hall.
Penang and Kuala Lumpur both recorded convincing 3-0 wins against their opponents Kedah and Johor in their last group matches today.
Led by the their Bukit Jalil Sports School players, Goh Boon Zhe, Rayner Beh Choon Meng and Ong Zhen Yi, Penang looked no match for the Kedah team.
While Kuala Lumpur players’ of Hooi Shao Herng, Bryan Jeremy Goonting, Muhammad Fazriq Razif and Justin Hoh showed their true mettle to power through against the hapless Johor.
The biggest loser this year is Sabah when their Girls team failed the get past the group stage. They are seeded 2nd after a convincing finish last year but they lost all their matches in their group.
After the final group stage matches today, the U-16 Boys category, Penang, Kedah, Perak, Malacca, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Selangor and Pahang goes through to the quarterfinals tomorrow.
In the U-16 Girls category, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, Sarawak, Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Pahang made the cut.
While in the U-12 category, seeded teams Negri Sembilan and Malacca recorded poor results in their group matches and failed to qualify for the next stage.
As for the U-12 Boys category, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Negri Sembilan, Penang, Sarawak, Kedah and Putrajaya who surprised everyone with their achievement this year.
In the U-12 Girls category, Penang, Pahang, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Sabah, Malacca, Sarawak and Terengganu.
The draw for the quarterfinals matches tomorrow will be held today at about 7pm at the Penang Badminton Association Badminton Hall in Bukit Dumbar in Jelutong here.
