KUCHING: Host Kuching, Miri and Sabah captured two titles each at the third leg of the CMS Sarawak Junior Squash Circuit – the CMS Borneo Junior Open – which ended at the Sarawak Club’s squash courts here last Sunday.
Winners of various categories in the tournament posing with (from left) Lau, Sim, Karim, Chee, Curtis and Idris after the prize presentation. — Photo by Davidson Kho
In the Boys Under-19 final that saw two Sukma XVII players from Kuching slugging it out for the crown, it was Marcus Sim who triumphed over Jess Tay 3-0 (11-4, 11-6, 11-5).
Puvendran Subramaniam of Kedah finished in third place after he beat Selangor’s Eugene Heng 3-0 (11-6, 11-7, 14-12) in the play-off match.
Kuching’s second title was delivered by Gregory Chan who edged Miri challenger Chai Hong Jie 3-2 (9-11, 11-8, 13-11, 6-11, 13-11) in the Boys U11 final while Caleb Lau Hui Xuan of Sibu beat teammate Hi Jia Rong 3-0 (11-5, 11-8, 11-8).
Jessica Keng of Sabah played up to expectations to lift the Girls U15 title after she beat Sibu’s Carina Loi Jing 3-0 (11-1, 11-9, 11-7). Third and fourth were Zoe Ting of Kuching and Chloe Chieng Shiao Shuen of Miri respectively.
Yee Xin Ying capped a double win for the Sabah contingent by beating Nathalie Sim of Kuching 3-2 (4-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7) in the Girls U11 final.
In the Girls U19 final, Ma Si Yi from Miri, who represented Sarawak in Sukma XVII this year, was a class above her opponent as she eased to a 3-0 (11-1, 11-2, 11-7) victory over teammate Wong Su Lin.
The play-off for third and fourth placings saw Kuching’s Charlize Goh beating Sibu’s Josephine Yii 3-1 (7-11, 14-12, 11-8. 11-9).
Miri’s second title was won by Martin Kueh Tze Wah who was made to sweat by his teammate Timothy Ling in the Boys U15 final.
Kueh lost the first set 6-11 but recovered to take the next two sets 11-5, 11-6. However, Ling was not just about to throw in the towel yet as he rebounded to win the fourth set 9-11, forcing Kueh to play in the decider where the latter won 11-9.
Muhammad Harris Ramlee was the only player from Semenanjung Malaysia to win a title in this tournament.
The Kuala Lumpur lad overcame the opposition from teammate Danial Nurhaqiem Shahrul Izham 3-1 (11-13, 11-8, 11-8, 12-10) in the Boys U13 final. Finishing in third and fourth spots were Kayden Liaw of Sabah and Nathan Kueh of Miri respectively.
Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah closed the event and gave away the prizes.
Also present were Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) vice president Peter Chee, official Subramaniam Kaniappan, Squash Racquets Association of Sarawak president Robert Lau Hui Yew who is also SRAM vice president, CMSB Group managing director Datuk Richard Curtis, Squash Association of Kuching president Sim Chin Kheng and organising chairman Idris Sulaiman.