Adam Lau
KUCHING: The battle is on for more than 80 shuttlers who take to the courts today to fight for berths in the state Sukma badminton team.
In all, 86 players, including 15 girls from 12 teams, are vying to play for the state in the 17th edition of the Malaysian Games to be held in Perlis in May-June this year.
The Sukma XVII Selection Tournament, organised by Sarawak Badminton Association is open to players between 16 and 21 years old and divided into four categories – boys singles and doubles, and girls singles and doubles.
The tournament, held at SBA Hall, features teams from SBA, Bintulu Badminton Association, Kuching Badminton Association 2002, Samarahan Badminton Association, Miri Badminton Association 2002, Baram Badminton Association, Pacific Badminton Management, Liew Wah Sam Training Centre, Chong Cheong Yong Training Centre, Kapit, Thumb’s Up badminton Academy and Kuching.
In the boys singles, the top seed is Adam Lau while his twin brother Alfred is seeded second with James Liaw and Clement Chieng as joint third/fourth seeds.
The Lau twins are also the top seeds in the boys’ doubles with Jong Wee Fook and Lai Zing Neng as the second seeds, and Gabriel Wong and James Liaw, and Donaven Sujang Majang-Kam Sim Siong as the joint third-fourth seeds.
Meanwhile, for the girls’ singles, featuring 11 players, Goh Suk Yun is the top seed with Chai Sze Bing the second seed.
Only six pairs will be playing in the girls doubles based on the round-robin format.
They are Kourtney Kho and Viviene Kua; Kam Wei Li and Yong Ping Ping; Kristy Tay and Shawn Lee; Hafizah Zulkifli and Stella Thien; Goh Suk Yun and Sharon Ngu and Immanlany Jose Tan and Nicole Nikola Johannes.
The finals will be held at 1pm on Sunday.