KUALA LUMPUR – The CIMB Rising Star Circuit and the National Junior Circuit 2023 grand finals concluded today, with Tay Jun Qian and Doyce Lee Yee emerging as champions in the Under-19 (U-19) boys and girls categories.
The final matches, held at the Squash Court of S2 Sports Complex in Seremban, witnessed Jun Qian as the top seed in the championship, competing against Hashvind Kugan from Kuala Lumpur.
Jun Qian, who recently won the National Junior Circuit Third Leg in Petaling Jaya, displayed an excellent performance by successfully countering Hasvind’s shots in the match.
Representing Selangor, Jun Qian easily dominated the entire match and was eventually crowned as the champion with a victory of 11-8, 11-9, 12-10 after 29 minutes of intense competition.
“I’m pleased with this victory because it was challenging for me to resume training after completing my SPM.
“I returned to the sport after completing my exams and worked hard to regain my fitness level…it was a tough journey,” he said.
In the U-19 women’s category, the competition saw a battle between Doyce Lee Yee from Sabah and Whitney Isabelle Wilson, representing Penang.
Despite being behind in the first two sets, Doyce displayed a high fighting spirit and won the remaining three sets with scores of 5-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-9 in 37 minutes.
“Every time I face Whitney, it’s always a tough competition because we’ve met several times.
“Winning today is a significant achievement for me as I haven’t won any titles for a long time.
“This victory is an important step in preparing for upcoming championships, including the PSA competition in Melaka next week and Red Tone in December,” said Doyce.
The medal presentation ceremony and victory prizes were officiated and awarded by the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, who serves as the patron of the Negeri Sembilan Squash Association. — October 15, 2023