The world’s best young shuttlers began their quest today for individual glory at the IBERDROLA BWF World Junior Championships 2016, with all the leading contenders progressing smoothly.
In Men’s Singles, top seed Kantaphon Wangcharoen, fresh from helping Thailand to joint third place in the Suhandinata Cup, defeated Scotland’s Matthew Grimley 21-5 21-13 to reach the third round, having received a bye in the first round. He was joined by a host of other players, including No.2 seed, Lee Zii Jai who was “preserved for the individual tournament” according the Malaysia Team Manager, Dato Syed Abu Bakar Abdullah, in explaining why Lee did not compete in last Sunday’s team final. Also, in the phase of competition are another Thai, Pachaarapol Nipornram (No.3 seed); Chinese Taipei’s Lee Chia Ho (No.4 seed; featured image); Sun Feixiang of China (No.5 seed); France’s Toma Junior Popov (No.7 seed); and Koki Watanabe of Japan (No.9 seed).
The tale was much the same in Women’s Singles at Bilbao Arena in Spain as defending World Junior champion Goh Jin Wei set out to retain the crown she won in Lima, Peru, a year ago. In her first outing, the top seed trampled Miranda Wilson of Germany, 21-9 21-11. The 16-year-old Malaysian’s next opponent will be Sweden’s Ella Soderstrom who stopped Gaea Galvez of New Zealand in three games – 18-21 21-14 21-11. There were also wins for China’s Chen Yufei – who copped the title-winning point for her country in the team event – as well as Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong (No.3 seed); No.4 seed, Natsuki Nidaira of Japan, Denmark’s Julie Dawall Jakobson (No.8 seed); and Kim Ga Eun, the fifth seed from Korea who will be hoping to forget her nation’s nightmarish end to its Suhandinata Cup ambitions.
“We are definitely looking to get some medais in the individual competition where we have some good players,” said Korea Team Manager, Pyo Sun Ho, as he watched a number of his players progress to tomorrow’s action.
Meanwhile, in Mixed Doubles Vladimir Leadavschi and Vlada Gynga of Moldova defeated South Africa’s Brandon Nel and Tarryn Jacobs, 21-13 21-9. Scotland’s Alexander Dunn and Eleanor O’Donnell overcame Swedish duo, Carl Harrbacka and Tilda Sjoo (21-16 20-22 21-17). Sjoo was also victorious in Women’s Doubles as she and Ella Soderstrom swept aside Mexico’s Nicole Marquez and Adelina Quiñones, 21-7 21-14.
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