Aziz (third right) and SBA secretary Abdul Hadi Abdul Kadir (right) with the state players and officials at the flag presentation.
KUCHING: The Sarawak Badminton Association (SBA) is eyeing a better performance in the National Junior Circuit Sabah/Sarawak Zone Badminton Championship at SBA hall here from today until April 17 .
SBA president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Hussain said Sarawak, as the host, are targeting to capture at least nine gold medals out of the 16 categories.
“We won seven gold medals in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah in the last championship and our best achievement was 10 gold medals won in our backyard in 2012,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.
Aziz was confident of a good showing from the state shuttlers as the team is boosted by eight members of the state Sukma XVIII squad.
They are Wilson Lau Ngie Ding, Owen Ting Shih Wee, Jeremy Kho Shyang, Flora Fong Xin Jie and her sister Felicia Fong Xin Hui, Kristy Tay Yong, Kam Wei Li and Yong Ping Ping.
Sarawak will be represented by 94 shutters including 38 girls from SBA and affiliate divisional associations, training centres and clubs while Sabah are sending 99 shuttlers.
Sarawak’s team manager is SBA treasurer Soh Theng Sai and the coaches are Suhairuddin Rahmad and Rukita.
Categories to be competed are Boys’ and Girls’ Under-12, U14, U16, U18 singles and doubles.
“This event also serves as a venue for the exposure of our Sukma players, which is part of our preparations for Sukma XVIII.
“We shall also be jointly organising the Pre-Sukma with Sibu Division Badminton Association in May to try out the courts at the new indoor stadium as well as giving the Sukma shuttlers more exposure,” added Aziz.
He said the Sukma shuttlers will also be sent for a exposure training stint in Pontianak, Indonesia.
Earlier, he presented the state colours to the Sarawak team after giving words of advice and encouragement to the shuttlers.