Yee Xian crowns excellent year with CIMB title
SIOW Yee Xian crowned an excellent year by winning the boys’ Under-19 title of the CIMB National Junior Squash Circuit Grand Finals in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
Having won the Malaysian Schools Championships Under18, Malaysian Junior Open Under-17 and the Asian Junior Championships Under-17 titles in 2017, Yee Xian defeated fellow Bukit Jalil Sports School student Duncan Lee 15-13, 9-11, 11-7, 12-10 to add to his growing list of achievements.
Yee Xian attributed his performances to his transfer to BJSS in February where he was put under the charge of coach Shahril Shahdan.
“This year is actually a turning point for me,” said Yee Xian, who turns 17 on Oct 3. “I only joined BJSS in February but I have improved since then with the training under coach Shahril.
“This is my last tournament for now as I will turn my focus to preparing for the SPM examinations in November. I may return to playing at the KL Junior Open.”
Malacca’s Yee Xian upset second seed Julian Joshua Wong of Penang in the semi-finals before edging a close final against fourth seed Duncan at the National Squash Centre.
“It was a tough match because the pressure was on me as he is my junior,” said Yee Xian. “I tried to keep the rallies as tight as possible and attack when I got the chance.”
There was a minor upset in the girls’ Under-19 event when second seed Chan Yiwen defeated top seed Ooi Kah Yan 9-11, 11-5, 119, 11-7 to finish top of the roundrobin league unbeaten.
Only four girls entered the competition with Yiwen finished ahead of Kah Yan while Lai Wen Li and Nur Natasha Nabila ending up third and fourth respectively.
RESULTS (all finals) — Boys’
Under-19: Siow Yee Xian (BJSS) bt Duncan Lee (BJSS) 15-13, 9-11, 11-7, 12-10;
Under-17: Kerwin Teh Ker Wei (Sel) bt Harris Ramlee (Sel) 4-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-2, 13-11;
Under-15: Andrik Lim Kai Shan (Mel) bt Joachim Chuah (KL) 11-6, 11-8, 7-11, 11-6;
Under-13: Fayyad Wajdi Hashim (Ked) bt Hi Jia Rong (Sar) 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 4-11, 11-8;
Under-11: Harith Danial Jefri (Sar) bt Veroon Heng (Mel) 9-11, 11-7, 11-2, 11-5;
Under-9: Oon Jayden (KL) bt Danny Gan (Sab) 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 115;
Girls’ Under-19 (roundrobin): 1 Chan Yiwen (BJSS) 3-0, 2 Ooi Kah Yan (BJSS) 2-1, 3 Lai Wen Li (BJSS) 1-2;
Under-17: Wong Heng Wai (Ked) bt Jessica Keng (Sab) 2-11, 11-9, 5-11, 11-8, 11-5;
Under-15: Aira Azman (Ked) bt Sehveetrraa Kumar (Ked) 11-4, 114, 11-5;
Under-13: Goh Zhi Xuan (Mel) bt June Loke Qian Ting (Pen) 11-9, 11-6, 11-7;
Under-11: Anrie Goh (Ked) bt Choo Yi (Ked) Jie 11-8, 11-2, 11-5;
Under-9: Whitney Isabelle Wilson (Ked) bt Goh Jia Xuan (Mel) 11-13, 11-6, 10-12, 11-5, 11-9. Devinder Singh