Abs-olutely fitter
Eogene eyes rise after stomach injury wrecked earlier plan
PETALING JAYA: Promising Eogene Ewe is all fired up to fight for a promotion to Group A (top division) in the 100Plus National Ranking Challenge once more after his previous bid in March was foiled by an injury.
At the just-concluded internal meet at the Juara Stadium on Friday, the 15-year-old Eogene stamped his class by winning Group B (second division) with relative ease.
Eogene won all his seven matches in the eight-player round-robin contest, dropping just two games in the process.
By virtue of being the top two finishers in Group B, Eogene will be joined by second-placed Dylan Ooi for the promotion playoffs which will take place at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) from Oct 28-30.
The duo will be pitted against relegation battlers V. Poopathi and Anson Cheong, who finished bottom two of the 10-player Group A.
The four will play a round-robin competition and the top two performers will get to play in Group A for the next ranking meet.
Eogene said he had to forgo his previous promotion attempt after straining his abdominal muscle during the playoff matches.
“I had my chances during our previous ranking challenge just before the movement control order, but I was forced to withdraw after pulling my stomach muscle,” said Eogene.
“At that time, I was runner-up to Poopathi in Group B and we were in a four-way battle with (Chua) Kim Sheng and Rex (Hooi) from Group A.
“Poopathi managed to get promoted while Kim Sheng survived the relegation.
“It’s really a good thing that these promotion and relegation battles have been introduced this year.
“Previously, we could only compete with just the players in our age group.
“I certainly want to be part of the top division, challenging the older players. “Hopefully I’ll get the job done this time.” Despite being in top form, Eogene is under no illusion that the promotion playoffs will be easy.
“I have to get two wins to stand a chance. I’m the youngest among all.
“Anson, especially, is a formidable player,” said Eogene, who won the Singapore Youth International Series last year.
“He’s 17 and I have not played him before, so it’s going to be tricky.
“He lost all his nine matches in Group A because he was competing with a hip injury.
“But I’m ready to face anyone and beat them because that’s what it takes to be promoted.”