Mental resilience proved to be the key difference as Chong Lee Qian clinched the boys’ Under-16 singles title at the Junior Elite Tour Finals on Sunday, overcoming national teammate Ng Hao Tong in a hard-fought three-game battle.
Competing at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara, Lee Qian lost the opening game 18-21 before staging a strong response to take the next two sets 21-8, 21-11, sealing victory after an hour-long contest. The win marked his first national title of the year.
Despite falling behind early, the young shuttler remained composed and credited his mindset for the turnaround.
“I felt very good today and I think I was braver in trying my skills,” said Lee Qian.
He added that focusing on each rally rather than the scoreboard helped him regain control after dropping the first game, noting that he managed the pressure by staying mentally steady instead of overthinking the situation.
The boys’ final was part of a series of closely contested matches across the Under-16 category.
In the girls’ singles final, Mirza Batrisyia Aghnia Nazri also went the distance before defeating teammate Chua Jing Xuan 21-12, 14-21, 21-16 in another all-BAM encounter.
The boys’ doubles title went to BAM pair Teoh Chong Yee and Tze Han Wong, who produced a dominant display to beat Selangor’s Max Foo Jin Tao and Yong Kiat Song 21-7, 21-14.
In the girls’ doubles final, BAM’s Leong Hwee Ling and Teoh Min Yi secured victory with a convincing 21-13, 21-10 win over Putrajaya’s Iffah Husna Mohd Nasir and Nur-Safia Mohd Ishraf Nuha.
The results highlighted strong performances from BAM juniors across multiple categories, with several players showing promising development at the national junior level.
