Jin Wei included in preliminary squad for Asian Juniors

KUALA LUMPUR: Former world junior champion Goh Jin Wei has been included in the preliminary squad for the Asian Junior Championships in Jakarta from July 2230.

The 17yearold will only compete in the team competition from July 2226, provided she gets the green light from Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) technical director Morten Frost.

“Jin Wei is still eligible for junior tournaments, but we’re also aware of her commitment in senior tournaments this year. We’ve included her name, but it all depends on Morten,” said Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) singles chief coach Kwan Yoke Meng, who will conduct a selection trial at the Academy Badminton Malaysia ( ABM) next week to finalise the team.

Jin Wei and two boys’ singles shuttlers – Leong Jun Hao and Sim Fong Hau – have been exempted from the trial.

“This trial is to give the nonBAM players from the states a chance to impress the selectors,” said Yoke Meng.

“Besides the trial, we will also look at the juniors’ performances in local and international tournaments over the past few months.”

Malaysia have never gone beyond the quarterfinals since Soo Teck Zhi emerged as the boys’ singles champion in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, in 2013.

“We’ve not gone beyond the quarters in the last three editions (2014, 2015 and 2016). Our goal is to make sure we reach at least the semifinals this year,” said Yoke Meng.